TRANSPORT
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The eight-kilometre section of Route 7 connecting Kennedy Town to Aberdeen will provide a much-needed linkage to the southern part of Hong Kong to support the strategic development of the area.
Route 10 between Yuen Long Highway and North Lantau is a planned dual three- lane expressway to relieve the anticipated traffic burden of the Lantau Link, and maintain road access to Lantau in the event that the Lantau Link has to be closed because of inclement weather or an emergency. Route 10 together with the planned Deep Bay Link will also form the local highway network to connect the proposed cross-link between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Route 9 (the section between Cheung Sha Wan and Sha Tin) will be a dual three- lane expressway connecting West Kowloon at Cheung Sha Wan and Sha Tin at Tai Wai. It will significantly alleviate traffic congestion at the Lion Rock Tunnel and the Tate's Cairn Tunnel and in Tai Po Road.
Other major new road projects under planning include the Central-Wan Chai Bypass, Chok Ko Wan Link Road and another section of Route 9 connecting Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan.
Road Opening Works
Besides serving as carriageways for vehicles and pedestrians, roads also accommodate various utility services, such as water and gas mains, sewers and electricity and telephone cables. To cope with the increasing demand for utility services and maintenance work, utility companies often have to excavate the carriageways and footpaths to lay more pipes, cables and ducts, and to carry out repair work. There were about 166 new road openings each day in 1999. Road openings are co-ordinated and controlled by the Highways Department through a permit system, under which utility companies are required to carry out work to a required standard and within a time limit.
To co-ordinate work more effectively and to minimise traffic disruption, the Highways Department holds monthly Road Opening Co-ordinating Committee meetings with the utility companies, the Police Force and the Transport Department. A computerised utility management system was developed in 1997 to further improve co-ordination and minimise disturbance to road users.
Public Transport
Rail, bus, ferry and other public transport services offer Hong Kong commuters a good choice of different transport modes at reasonable fares and different levels of comfort, speed and convenience.
Railways
Railways form an important part of the public transport system in Hong Kong. They account for some 30 per cent of the total daily public transport volume. The railways in Hong Kong are built and operated by the two railway corporations the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) and the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC), both wholly owned by the Government and operating on prudent commercial principles. The objective behind the establishment of statutory corporations to run railways is to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness in