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At this point let me deal with the repeated request from this Council as well as District Board Members to extend the WCR line from Tuen Mun North to Tuen Mun Town Centre. As promised, we have asked the KCRC to examine this option when extending the invitation and providing them with the brief to undertake this project. Although the Administration awaits a formal submission from the KCRC, I am pleased to be able to advise Honourable Members that the Corporation considers that, based on its preliminary investigations, such an extension is technically feasible and can be provided by 2001. I can assure Hon Members that the Administration will adopt a positive approach in studying the proposal to bring the railway to Tuen Mun Town Centre. Indeed, the recent experience arising from the closure of Tuen Mun Road underlines the urgency to provide an alternative transport mode.
In so far as the WCR is concerned I should also highlight the fact that we see the need for a new passenger terminal at Lok Ma Chau. This is being discussed with But Lo Wu will the Chinese under the Infrastructure Co-ordinating Committee. continue to be the crossing point for through trains, eventually linking up with the WCR to provide a direct freight service to the container port as well as an alternative route for international passengers with a terminus at West Kowloon.
Some Members have urged the early implementation of a number of other railway projects, such as MTR extensions on Hong Kong Island and other railway proposals in Southeast Kowloon. Such possible alignments have been identified in the Railway Development Strategy. We shall constantly review these projects. But it would be totally unrealistic to accord them higher priority than the three rail projects which I have outlined. Apart from substantial costs, I doubt very much that either we or the railway corporations have the manpower and other resources to take on yet additional railway schemes all at the same time.
We should not forget the Airport Railway. Construction is in full swing with the opening scheduled for June 1998 at the latest. With MTRC's excellent track record on project management, we are confident that the Airport Railway will come into operation on target.
The Lantau Line of the Airport Railway will, of course, also serve Tung Chung New Town and provide an alternative rail link from Tsuen Wan to Central thus relieving pressure along the Nathan Road Corridor.
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