THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1979
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OTHER THAN THIS TRANSPORT PRIORITY PROPOSAL, THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO PLANNING FIVE MEASURES TO MOVE PEOPLE FASTER FROM CHAIWAN OR SHAUKE IWAN TO CENTRAL DURING PEAK HOURS. THESE ARE:
*
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUS SERVICE:
EIGHT NEW ROUTES ARE PLANNED FOR THE EASTERN ISLAND CORRIDOR, THREE STARTING IN FEBRUARY. INCREASE IN FREQUENCY OF SEVERAL EXISTING SERVICES IS ALSO PLANNED-
* RELOCATION OF BUS TERMINUS:
*
IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE LOADING AND UNLOADING OF BUSES IN KING'S ROAD, NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOING ON TO RELOCATE THE TERMINUS FOR ROUTES 20A AND 116 TO YAU MAN STREET-
MORE FREQUENT FERRIES,
THERE IS NOW AGREEMENT TO BUILD A NEW FERRY LANDING AT TAI KOO SHING FOR A SECOND FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN EASTERN AND CENTRAL DISTRICTS. THE NEW BERTH, EXPECTED TO BE READY IN THE COMING YEAR, WILL TAKE LARGER BOATS THAN THE EXISTING PIER AT SAI WAN HO CAN. AN ADDITIONAL 16 HOVERFERRY SAILINGS FROM SA! WAN HO PIER WERE STARTED FROM NOVEMBER 1-
* PARK AND RIDE:
PART OF THE RECLAIMED LAND AT SAI WAN HO WILL BE USED AS A TEMPORARY CAR PARK TO ENCOURAGE MOTORISTS TO TRAVEL THE REST OF THE JOURNEY TO CENTRAL BY BUS OR FERRY- AND
* NEW FOOTBRIDGES:
IN ORDER TO FACILITATE TRAFFIC FLOW BY REDUCING ON-STREET PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, AND TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, URGENT CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO CONSTRUCTING FOOTBRIDGES AT KEY POINTS ALONG KING'S ROAD.
THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO WORKING ON LONGER-TERM IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE EASTERN DISTRICT. THE INITIAL STRETCH OF A LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD BE SOME 50 PER CENT FASTER THAN THE EXISTING TRAMS AND CARRY 50 PER CENT MORE PASSENGERS. COULD BE FUNCTIONING IN 1983 AND A LONGER ROUTE COULD BE AVAILABLE IN 1984 IF THE DECISION ON IT, TO BE TAKEN EARLY NEXT YEAR, IS FAVOURABLE.
SOME PROGRESS IS ALSO BEING MADE ON THE NEW WATERFRONT ROAD ALONG THE EASTERN ISLAND CORRIDOR WHICH HAS SUFFERED FROM DELAY, MR. SHIPMAN SAID.
RECLAMATION OF THE LAND ON WHICH THE ROAD IS TO BE BUILT HAS NOW BEEN GAZETTED AND IT IS NOW LIKELY THAT CONSTRUCTION WORK ON THE PROJECT WILL START EARLY IN 1981 AND THE SECTION BETWEEN CAUSEWAY BAY AND HEALTHY STREET BE COMPLETED IN 1985.
+ THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING EARLIER PROGRESS IS BEING CONSIDERED AND A MORE DEFINITE ANNOUNCEMENT MAY BE EXPECTED EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR,+ HE SAID.
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