13
Transport
A WELL-RUN internal transport system is essential to sustain Hong Kong's economic activity by moving people and goods quickly and efficiently. In 1984, there were some 311 850 vehicles of all descriptions in the territory and the daily average of passenger trips on public transport was 8.8 million.
Careful co-ordination and management are necessary to ensure that the road network is improved and public transport services, especially off-road modes, are expanded to meet demand. Optimum use of Hong Kong's limited road capacity is also essential. The Trans- port Branch and Lands and Works Branch of the Government Secretariat are charged with this responsibility, with the Highways Office of the Engineering Development Department, the Transport Department, the Traffic Branch of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force and the individual transport operators playing their part at the operational level.
The year saw continued progress on a number of projects to enhance Hong Kong's internal transport system. On June 7, the first 3.7 kilometre section of the Island Eastern Corridor was opened between Causeway Bay and Tai Koo Shing, enabling a journey to be made between these two points in only four minutes. In turn, it has helped ease the congestion along King's Road, reducing travelling time on King's Road between Shau Kei Wan and Causeway Bay by as much as 40 per cent.
The construction of other major road networks, such as the New Territories Trunk Road and Circular Road, continued, as did the building of the Mass Transit Railway Island Line, the major portion of which is expected to be operational by mid-1985. Detailed planning of the Junk Bay and Route 5 (Sha Tin to Tsuen Wan) tunnels was far advanced by the end of
the year.
In July, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation accepted in principle the govern- ment's invitation to build a 34-kilometre Light Rail Transit (LRT) System in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long, which is scheduled to become operational in 1988, to provide the core transport system in the western New Territories.
During the year, a final decision was reached not to proceed with the construction of a bridge across the harbour at Lei Yue Mun. The Executive Council gave the green light to an alternative submerged crossing between Tai Koo Shing and Cha Kwo Ling. A number of international consortia have expressed interest in financing the construction and operation of the facility which will provide at least a four-lane road crossing and perhaps also a rail link. It will take four to five years from the award of the contract for the tunnel to be completed.
Additional maxicab services were implemented in Kowloon and the New Territories. New Territories taxis were permitted to extend their area of operation to include the Mass Transit Railway Station in Tsuen Wan, Shun Lee Estate in East Kowloon, the Chinese University, the Sha Tin Racecourse and the Prince of Wales Hospital.