XN000022-1972-03-01 — Page 45

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Wednesday, March 1, 1972

UNDERGROUND RAILWAY IS NO PANACEA FOR

HONG KONG'S HORSENING TRAFFIC PROBLEM

Road Congestion Will Still Have To Be Tackled

The Financial Secretary, Mr. Philip Haddon-Cave, made it clear

in his Budget speech in the Legislative Council today that, even if the

underground railway is built, it will certainly not be a panacea.

"The problem of congestion from the growing numbers of vehicles

on the roads, particularly private cars, will still have to be tackled,"

he pointed out.

It was also a fact that an underground railway could not be

provided by simply waving a magic wand "for there are simply enormous

problems to be overcome before a start can be made."

-

Mr. Haddon-Cave said even the first stage of the underground railway

scheme - the so-called Initial System

would take at least six years to

build and would involve formidable engineering and technical problems.

"During this period also the building worke will add to, rather

than relieve, congestion on the roads, while traffic volumes will still be

increasing year by year.

"Finally, there are the problems involved in financing the project,

that is to say, of raising very large sums of money to be paid off over periods

of time which are long indeed by the normal standards of Hong Kong."

/Continuing,