Transport 245
closer integration of the economies and people in the Mainland and Hong Kong. It is therefore necessary to review and update the blueprint of railway development to take account of the changing needs of society and the latest planning parameters. A consultancy study to review and update the Railway Development Strategy will commence in March 2011 for completion in 2013.
Transport Infrastructure
Road Network
Hong Kong has 2 076 kilometres of roads and 1 293 road structures, 16 road tunnels (including the three immersed-tube cross-harbour tunnels) and five major cable supported bridges.
Tunnels
The Government owns 11 road tunnels: the Cross-Harbour, Lion Rock, Aberdeen, Kai Tak, Shing Mun, Tseung Kwan O, Cheung Tsing, Tai Wai, Sha Tin Height, Eagle's Nest and Nam Wan tunnels.
The last four are located in the Tsing Sha Control Area while Cheung Tsing Tunnel is located in the Tsing Ma Control Area. All 11 tunnels are managed and operated by private companies under management contracts. Use of the Kai Tak Tunnel, Cheung Tsing Tunnel and Nam Wan Tunnel is free of charge. Tolls for the rest are provided for in their governing legislation.
Four other tunnels are operated by private companies under 'Build, Operate and Transfer' arrangements. They are the Eastern Harbour Crossing, Tate's Cairn Tunnel, Western Harbour Crossing and Tai Lam Tunnel.
There is also a private tunnel, the Discovery Bay Tunnel Link, which was built by Discovery Bay Road Tunnel Company Limited. This is operated and maintained by the company, and is open only to vehicles taking goods to Discovery Bay, or providing services to residents there.
Rail Network
Railways are a vital part of Hong Kong's transport network and are essential to its continuous economic, social and land development. They account for about 36 per cent of daily public transport passenger travel and about 61 per cent of land-based cross-boundary passenger trips to the Mainland. They are being extended to various parts of Hong Kong. The map below shows the existing railway network, two railway projects under construction and the indicative alignments of the seven railway projects in the design stage or under review.