FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 1989

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CORRIDOR A BOOST TO EASTERN'S DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

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THE COMPLETION OF THE FINAL PHASE OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR EARLY NEXT YEAR WILL GIVE A MAJOR BOOST то THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE REGIONAL SECRETARY FOR HONG KONG AND KOWLOON, MR DAVID LAN, TODAY (FRIDAY) WHEN HE SPOKE ON TRAFFIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE DISTRICT AT AN "A STEP CLOSER" SEMINAR FOR OVER 230 MEMBERS FROM THE 13 AREA COMMITTEES IN THE DISTRICT.

THE SEMINAR WAS THE EIGHTH IN A SERIES DESIGNED BY THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONS WITH AREA COMMITTEES.

MR LAN SAID THE FINAL PHASE OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR WOULD LINK SHAU KEI WAN WITH THE HEART OF CHAI WAN.

"BY THE TIME IT IS COMPLETED, THE EASTERN DISTRICT

WILL HAVE, APART FROM ITS EXISTING TRUNK ROUTES, A CONTINUOUS EXPRESSWAY LINKING UP THE MAJOR AREAS IN THE DISTRICT AND PROVIDING ACCESS ΤΟ AREAS OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT,

H HE NOTED.

IN VIEW OF GROWING PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT THE ISLAND BASTERN CORRIDOR'S IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT, MR LAN ADDED, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD LAY BITUMINOUS MATERIALS ON THE ROAD SURFACE OF THE FINAL PHASE OF THE CORRIDOR TO REDUCE NOISE THAT MIGHT BE GENERATED BY TRAFFIC.

AS FOR OTHER SECTIONS OF THE CORRIDOR. THE GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE A DECISION ONCE RESULTS OF A TRIAL SCHEME FOR THE SECTION FACING THE CITY GARDEN WERE AVAILABLE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

TURNING TO A SECOND MAJOR TRANSPORT PROJECT IN THE DISTRICT, MR LAN SAID THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY LINE THROUGH THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING WAS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN JULY OR AUGUST THIS YEAR, WHILE THE TUBE FOR OTHER VEHICULAR TRAFFIC WOULD OPEN IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER.

ENJOY

"BY THAT TIME, RESIDENTS IN THE DISTRICT WILL BE ABLE TO AN EFFICIENT TRANSPORT NETWORK LINKING UP EASTERN DISTRICT WITH EAST KOWLOON. AND MOTORISTS WILL BE ABLE TO GET RELIEF FROM THE TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE EXISTING CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL, 中中 HE NOTED.

MR LAN SAID THAT TO COPE WITH EASTERN DISTRICT'S LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENTS AND TO AVOID A RECURRENCE OF SERIOUS TRAFFIC CONGESTION, THE GOVERNMENT HAD EARLIER STARTED WORK ON RECONSTRUCTING THE HEAVILY USED KING'S ROAD.

THE SECOND COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT STUDY REPORT HAD RECOMMENDED CONSTRUCTING A FURTHER CROSS-HARDOUR RAIL IN THE 1990'S TO COPE WITH GENERAL TRAFFIC NEEDS, TO RELIEVE CONGESTION ON THE MTR ALONG NATHAN ROAD, AND TO CATER TO THE NEEDS OF CROSS-HARBOUR TRAFFIC ARISING FROM THE PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE RAIL LINE TO JUNK BAY AND A PROPOSED RAILWAY EXTENSION IN THE NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES.

/THE REPORT

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