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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1985
+ THE OPENING LAST MONTH OF THE SECTION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES TRUNK ROAD FROM SHA TIN TO FANLING WILL BRING SUBSTANTIAL BENEFIT TO THE NORTH-EAST NEW TERRITORIES.
+FURTHER ROAD IMPROVEMENTS ON WHICH WORK WILL COMMENCE DURING THE COMING YEAR INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW TUNNEL LINK BETWEEN SHA TIN AND TSUEN WAN, HE SAID.
ON ROAD CONGESTION, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE FISCAL MEASURES INTRODUCED IN MAY 1982 HAD REDUCED THE NUMBER OF PRIVATE CARS ON THE ROAD, BUT IMPOSED A BURDEN ON ALL CAR OWNERS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY WERE HEAVY USERS OF CONGESTED ROADS.
THE MEASURES, THOUGH SO FAR EFFECTIVE, WERE A BLUNT INSTRUMENT AND OTHER, MORE EQUITABLE AND MORE EFFICIENT METHODS OF TACKLING CONGESTION HAD TO BE CONSIDERED SO THAT MAXIMUM ECONOMIC BENEFIT COULD BE OBTAINED FROM THE EXPENSIVE ROAD NETWORK.
+CONSULTATION ON SUCH MEASURES, INCLUDING THE QUESTION OF WHETHER ANY FORM OF ELECTRONIC ROAD PRICING SHOULD BE
INTRODUCED, AND IF SO, WHERE AND WHEN, IS STILL IN PROGRESS IN THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE,+ HE SAID.
THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT THERE WAS INCREASING CONGESTION AT THE NORTHERN ENTRANCE TO THE LION ROCK TUNNEL AND THE NUMBER OF TOLL COLLECTION BOOTHS DID NOT MATCH THE TUNNEL CAPACITY.
+TO REMEDY THIS, THREE ADDITIONAL TOLL BOOTHS ARE BEING BUILT- THEY SHOULD BE OPERATIONAL BY MARCH NEXT YEAR. OTHER MEASURES ARE BEING INVESTIGATED TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW THROUGH THE TUNNEL, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF AUTOMATIC TOLL COLLECTION.
+ IN ADDITION, THE FEASIBILITY OF A ROAD TUNNEL UNDER TATE'S CAIRN, LINKING SHA TIN WITH EAST KOWLOON, IS BEING CLOSELY EXAMINED, + THE GOVERNOR SAID.
TURNING TO CROSS-BORDER LINKS, THE GOVERNOR SAID NEW
FACILITIES DESIGNED TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND THE SHENZHEN SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE WERE OPENED DURING THE YEAR.
+THEY INCLUDE THE SECOND BRIDGE AT MAN KAM TO, THE NEW BRIDGE AT SHA TAU KOK AND A NEW FOOTBRIDGE AT LO WU. WORK HAS ALSO BEGUN ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FIRST STAGE OF THE LOK MA CHAU BRIDGE- THIS IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN EARLY 1988.
+THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO CROSS-BORDER LINKS WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CAPACITY TO COPE WITH THE EXPECTED GROWTH OF TRAFFIC INTO THE NEXT DECADE, THE GOVERNOR SAID.
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