WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1992
FIRM PLANS TO SOLVE CONGESTION PROBLEM IN NORTHWEST NT
IS
THE CONGESTION OF ROAD LINKS TO THE NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES BEING TACKLED POSITIVELY AND ENERGETICALLY THROUGH SEEKING AND IMPLEMENTING LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS AND ACHIEVING SHORT-TERM RELIEF, SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
THE
SPEAKING AT THE MOTION DEBATE ON THE EXTERNAL TRANSPORT NETWORK OF NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES, MR LEUNG SAID THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION LAID IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROUTE 3 (COUNTRY PARK SECTION), INCLUDING THE TING KAU BRIDGE WHICH WOULD LINK AU TAU AND TSING YI.
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'WE ARE ABOUT TO CONSIDER INVITING EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO HELP US DECIDE WHETHER AND WHEN ΤΟ PRIVATISE THIS PROJECT, HE SAID.
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MR LEUNG SAID ANOTHER LONGER-TERM SOLUTION WAS TO PROVIDE A RAIL LINK TO THE NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES (NWNT} WHICH WAS BEING CONSIDERED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RAIL DEVELOPMENT STUDY, THE RESULTS OF WHICH SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
"AT THIS STAGE I CANNOT PRE-EMPT THE OUTCOME OF THAT STUDY, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME A RAIL LINK TO THE NWNT HAS OBVIOUS ATTRACTIONS IN THAT THE SAME CORRIDOR COULD BE SHARED WITH A PROPOSED FREIGHT LINE FROM THE BORDER то THE CONTAINER PORT AS WELL AS A NEW CROSS BORDER PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE.
"FOR THE MOMENT, HOWEVER, WE MUST AWAIT THE OUTCOME OF THIS STUDY, HE SAID.
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IN THE INTERIM, MR LEUNG SAID EVERY EFFORT WAS BEING MADE то TACKLE THE MORE URGENT PROBLEM OF PEAK-HOUR CONGESTION.
THESE INCLUDED:
A TOTAL OF $2.7 BILLION IS NOW BEING SPENT ON NEW ROADS IN THE NWNT INCLUDING THE FINAL SECTION OF THE NT CIRCULAR ROAD FROM FAIRVIEW PARK TO AU TAU, THE YUEN LONG/TUEN MUN EASTERN CORRIDOR, AND THE YUEN LONG SOUTHERN BYPASS.
SOME $740 MILLION TO BE SPENT ON WIDENING CASTLE PEAK ROAD. WORK ON THE SECTION BETWEEN SO KWUN WAT AND SAM SHING IS NOW NEARING COMPLETION AND WORK ON THE DUALLING AND REALIGNMENT OF THE SECTION CLOSEST TO TSUEN WAN WILL BEGIN AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.
EXTRA CLIMBING LANES WILL BE PROVIDED IN THREE UPHILL SECTIONS OF TUEN MUN HIGHWAY. WORK ON THE FIRST OF THESE IS DUE TO START IN 1994, AT A COST OF $150 MILLION.
MR LEUNG SAID ORDERS WERE LIKELY TO BE PLACED BY THE HONGKONG AND YAUMATI FERRY TO PROVIDE TWO 300-SEAT FAST VESSELS RUNNING BETWEEN TUEN MUN AND CENTRAL.
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