XN000022-1972-03-29 — Page 35

Wednesday, March 29, 1972

- 35

There was no indication that the existing Taipo Road needed to

be widened for some years but should the population at Shatin build up

far more rapidly than expected the road could be widened if required, he added.

"Plans exist for this although it will be appreciated that it

will be an expensive and difficult task due to the general topography

of the area.

#

Plans also existed for a road link between Shatin and Tsuen Wan

by way of a tunnel through the Shing lun hills but the need for that should

not arise until the early 1980's, he said.

Double Tracking

Mr. Robson said the cost of double tracking the railway was

about $20 million but that figure did not include a second railway tunnel

from Kowloon or the provision of additional rolling stock to provide a

more frequent service.

"I would like to add that provision is being made in the planning

layouts for the possibility of extending any future mass transit system

to Shatin," he added.

The planning for Castle Peak followed the same pattern as Shatin

but the most important consideration was to ensure that a new road

link between Tsuen Wan and Castle Peak was available to traffic at the

earliest possible date.

For that reason the P.W.D. recommended that the work be carried

out in two stages Stage I providing for a three-lane carriageway and

Stage II for a further three lanes, he added.

/He explained