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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1981
WAYS TO IMPROVE CROSS HARBOUR TRAFFIC
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THERE IS VERY LITTLE THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE SHORT TERM TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE EXISTING CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL TO TAKE MORE TRAFFIC, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT THE HON DEREK JONES SAID TODAY.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LYDIA DUNN IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR JONES SAID HOWEVER CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN TO CERTAIN MINOR WORKS TO IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE APPROACH AREAS, AND TO POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS TO VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICES.
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S CONSULTANTS HAD RECOMMENDED AGAINST THE TUNNEL COMPANY'S PROPOSAL TO BUILD A MEZZANINE DECK FOR CARS IN ONE OF THE TUBES OF THE EXISTING TUNNEL.
+THE PRINCIPAL REASONS ARE THE DISRUPTION TO TRAFFIC DURING CONSTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY IN THE APPROACHES TO THE TUNNEL, A GREATER RISK IN EMERGENCIES, PARTICULARLY FIRE RISK, AND THE COMPLICATIONS OF PROVIDING SAFE ACCESS INTO, AND EXIT FROM, THE PROPOSED MEZZANINE DECK, HE SAID.
MR JONES POINTED OUT THAT THE TSUEN WAN EXTENSION OF THE MTR AND KCR ELECTRIC TRAIN SERVICES BOTH COMING INTO SERVICE EARLY NEXT SUMMER WOULD PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT ADDITION TO THE PASSENGER RAILWAY NETWORK AND WOULD TEMPT MORE CAR OWNERS TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
+TO THIS END, ALSO, THERE ARE PLANS FOR BUILDING CAR PARKING FACILITIES AT MORE MTR AND KCR STATIONS,+ HE ADDED.
IN THE MEDIUM TERM, HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM, IF FOUND FEASIBLE, WAS TO BUILD A BRIDGE ACROSS THE LEI YUE MUN CHANNEL TO CONNECT WITH THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR ROAD BEYOND SHAU KEI WAN BY ABOUT 1986 OR 87.
+THE PROBLEM HERE IS TO FIND OUT WHETHER SUCH A BRIDGE WOULD BE COMPATIBLE WITH AIRCRAFT SAFETY, MAINLY BECAUSE OF ITS POSSIBLE EFFECT ON THE INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM.
+THIS QUESTION IS NOW UNDER ACTIVE STUDY BY THE PUBLIC WORKS AND CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENTS.+
IF IT TURNED OUT THAT NO SATISFACTORY SOLUTION COULD BE FOUND, THEN IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO BUILD A BRIDGE UNTIL THE 1990S AFTER THE AIRPORT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM KAI TAK, HE SAID.
IN THAT CASE, HE ADDED, SERIOUS CONSIDERATION WOULD THEN BE GIVEN TO BUILDING A THIRD TUBE TO THE PRESENT TUNNEL.
*THIS WOULD, HOWEVER, HAVE THE DISADVANTAGE OF CONCENTRATING YET MORE TRAFFIC IN AREAS WHICH ARE ALREADY CONGESTED AND IT WOULD THEREFORE REQUIRE HEAVY ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE ON ROAD WORKS,+ MR JONES SAID,
THE COMPLETION