WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1986
MINIMAL COSTS TO GOVT BUILDING EASTERN CROSSING
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THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING PROJECT WILL BE BUILT AT MINIMAL COST TO GOVERNMENT AND WHEN IT MADE A PROFIT APPROPRIATE DIVIDENDS WOULD ACCRUE TO PUBLIC REVENUE, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON HARNAM GREWAL, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE ONLY COSTS TO GOVERNMENT WERE THOSE FOR A SMALL ENGINEERING SUPERVISION TEAM, WHICH HAD BEEN SET UP BY THE RE DEPLOYMENT WITHIN THE HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT AND THE PROVISION OF LAND ON WHICH THE TUNNEL AND THE APPROACH ROADS REST. FOR WHICH ALL CLEARANCE AND COMPENSATION COSTS WOULD BE BORNE BY THE NEW HONG KONG TUNNEL CONSORTIUM, HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING BILL 1986, MR GREWAL SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE BILL WAS TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY STATUTORY BACKING TO THE CIVIL CONTRACT, COVERING IN PARTICULAR THE REGULATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE TUNNELS, THE SETTING, REVIEWING AND COLLECTION OF TOLLS, THE CONTROL OF TRAFFIC AND CERTAIN PROCEDURES CONCERNING THE SETTING UP AND CONTROL OF THE COMPANIES HOLDING THE FRANCHISES, INCLUDING THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY CORPORATION IN RESPECT OF THE RAILWAY.
+AS WAS A CONDITION OF THE CIVIL CONTRACT WITH THE CONSORTIUM, IT IS MODELLED ON THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL ORDINANCE BUT IN THE EVENT IT IS RATHER LONGER AND MORE COMPLEX ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO CATER FOR A RAIL TUNNEL IN ADDITION TO A ROAD TUNNEL, HE SAID.
EXPLAINING THAT THE BILL HAD 13 PARTS, MR GREWAL SAID THAT PARTS I TO IV DEALT WITH THE LENGTH OF THE FRANCHISES, THE COMPANY STRUCTURE, CAPITALISATION AND DIRECTORS, PARTS V AND VI COVERED THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, IN PARTICULAR THE POWERS OF THE DIRECTOR OF HIGHWAYS CONCERNING STANDARDS AND METHODS: PART VIL COVERED THE CONTINUING OBLIGATIONS OF THE ROAD AND RAIL COMPANIES, IN PARTICULAR IN RESPECT OF DEFECTS AND MAINTENANCE.
+ IN ESSENCE THE POSITION IS THAT THE COMPANIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMEDY OF LATENT DEFECTS AND WITH RESPECT TO THE IMMERSED TUBE PORTION OF THE PROJECT THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN THE TUBE IN SOUND CONDITION, HE SAID,
PARTS VIII, IX AND X, HE ADDED, PROVIDED FOR THE OPERATION OF THE ROAD TUNNEL, FOR BY-LAWS TO BE DRAFTED, FOR TOLLS TO BE CHARGED AND FOR THE PROCESSING OF SUSPECTED TRAFFIC OFFENCES WITHIN THE TUNNEL.
+AS WITH THE PROCEDURE FOR SETTING TOLLS FOR THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL, THE INITIAL TOLLS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND ARE RECORDED IN THE SCHEDULE TO THE BILL.
/+THEY CAN