TRANSPORT
under planning, including the construction of additional transfer passenger processing facilities and the upgrading of the existing airport facility as required. All these improve- ments are aimed at enabling the airport to cope, as far as possible, with passenger traffic growth arising from the anticipated increase in runway movements, aircraft size and passenger load factors during its remaining life at Kai Tak.
A new replacement facility for the handling of interline baggage, with a total floor area six times that of the existing facility, was commissioned in October.
To optimise check-in counter utilisation, a computerised Check-in Counter Allocation System is being installed for commission in mid-1995.
The Flight Information Display System installed at the terminal building was enhanced in December by replacing the monochrome television displays with large-screen colour displays and increasing the display capacity from the previous 20 flight records to 75, in both the Chinese and English languages. The system will be further upgraded to allow the display of free format messages in both Chinese and English in critical and special situations.
As part of the air traffic control modernisation programme, obsolescent equipment was replaced and additional facilities were introduced to improve the standard of service and enhance operating efficiency. The Instrument Guidance System, a navigational aid to assist arriving aircraft, was upgraded in February and a new Secondary Surveillance Radar for Approach Control was put into use in June. In addition, tenders were called for a new Terminal Area Radar and the replacement of Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range and Distance Measuring Equipment at Cheung Chau. Both items of equipment are expected to be ready for use by the end of 1995. The upgrading of the existing Radar Data Processing and Display System has also commenced, with a target completion date of mid- 1995.
A number of road works to improve ground access to the airport were completed during the year. An exit ramp from the airport's multi-storey carpark westbound to Olympic Avenue and improvements to the Dakota Drive Roundabout were completed in January. An upramp from Concorde Road to the departure podium, together with a bridge crossing the Kai Tak Nullah, were opened to traffic in June, in line with the commissioning of a new passenger drop-off area on the second floor of the airport's multi-storey carpark to supplement the kerb-side facility on the departures level. The new passenger drop-off area is connected to the existing terminal building via an additional link bridge and two lifts, which were completed in December.
Construction of an additional exit taxiway at the seaward end of the runway, to help reduce runway occupancy time, started in November. The exit taxiway is scheduled to be completed in mid-1995.
Following the completion of the last B747 parking bay on the South Apron in May, the total number of aircraft parking bays available at Kai Tak has increased to 69.
As part of a continuing process to upgrade security standards at the airport, works to reconfigure the security screening channels, replace the airport perimeter fence and provide remote control to a security gate were completed in December. An Integrated Permit Production and Access Control System for Restricted Area 7 was commissioned in September. A plan to further expand the system to cover the access control of all staff entrances to the remaining restricted areas is being pursued, for implementation in 1995.
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