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TRANSPORT
Cross Border Traffic Traffic between Hong Kong and China via the road crossing point at Man Kam To continued to rise, with the number of vehicles travelling in both directions increasing from 7 220 per day in December 1986 to 8 460 per day in December 1987. Traffic at the Sha Tau Kok crossing remained stable at 1 131 vehicles per day in December 1987 (778 per day in December 1986). Goods vehicles accounted for 92 per cent of traffic at both crossing points, reflecting the rapid growth in trading and industrial links with China. At the end of the year, 23 companies operated tourist coach services across the border. There was also a limited number of private cars, primarily used by businessmen with interests in Shenzhen. Road crossing facilities will be substantially improved by the Lok Ma Chau crossing which will have a direct link into the New Territories Circular Road. The first bridge of the crossing will be completed in early 1989 and the second later in that year. This will increase the capacity at the three border crossing points to about 52 000 vehicles per day, compared with 12 000 per day at present.
The Kowloon-Canton Railway also plays an important role in the growing traffic between Hong Kong and China. Some 3.5 million tonnes of freight (1986: 3.28 million tonnes) and 2.13 million head of livestock (1986: 2.21 million) were brought into Hong Kong by rail. Exports to China by rail accounted for 1.1 million tonnes, a significant increase over the 848 000 tonnes carried in 1986. Hong Kong's ability to handle the increasing volume of rail freight from China will be much improved by the planned expansion of the KCRC freight yard in Hung Hom Bay. Conditions for cross border rail passengers were greatly improved by the new terminal building at Lo Wu opened in early 1987. Cross border passenger traffic on the KCR increased from 20.8 million in 1986 to 25.4 million in 1987. A further extension of the terminal is now being planned to cope with the anticipated future growth in traffic.
Ferry services between Hong Kong and China also carried more passengers, with a total of eight operators carrying 2.8 million passengers (2.4 million in 1986) from the two China ferry terminals at Central on Hong Kong Island and Tai Kok Tsui in Kowloon. The new China ferry terminal in Canton Road will open in mid-1988, to provide much improved facilities and sufficient capacity to meet demand beyond the turn of the century.
Road Network
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Good progress was made in the road building programme. Several major projects opened to traffic, and some 38 projects are under construction and another 57 are being actively planned by the Highways Department. Expenditure on highway projects was about $1,000 million, while another $300 million was spent on improving and maintaining existing roads. Hong Kong's roads have one of the highest vehicle densities in the world. At the end of year, there were 322 076 registered vehicles and only about 1 400 kilometres of roads - 388 on Hong Kong Island, 364 in Kowloon and 643 in the New Territories. This high vehicle density, together with the difficult terrain and dense building development in the territory, presents a constant challenge to its road builders. Already, there are four major road tunnels, over 570 flyovers and bridges, 299 footbridges and 162 subways to keep vehicles and people on the move.
Strategic Road Network
The principal feature of the strategic road system is Route 1, which runs from Aberdeen on the southern shore of Hong Kong Island to Sheung Shui in the northern New Territories, and includes three tunnels - Aberdeen, Cross Harbour and Lion Rock. On Hong Kong