XN000022-1974-06-26 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 1974

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RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR TUEN MUN UNIQUE FEATURE IN HONG KONG

EXCLUSIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT RIGHT-OF-WAY CE.P.T.R.O.W.) A SYSTEM OF RESERVING A PORTION OF THE ROAD WIDTH FOR THE EXCLUSIVE USE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE TUEN MUN TOWN PLAN WHICH IS NOW AT ITS EARLY STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION UNDER A TEN-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.

THE SCHEME SPELLS A COMPLETELY NEW CONCEPT IN MODERN TRANSPORT PLANNING, AND IT ENSURES THE SPEEDY AND EFFICIENT MOVING OF THE MASS OF PEOPLE BY MEANS OF SPECIAL FORM OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT - WHETHER IT BE BUS, TRAM, TROLLEY BUS OR ANYTHING THAT RUNS ON WHEELS.

THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT POLICY COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED THIS SCHEME AND A NETWORK OF THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE REVISED OUTLINE DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR TULM MUN.

THE NETWORK STRETCHES OVER ALMOST 40,000 FEET OF ROADWAY, SERVING THE MAIN RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS WITHIN THE NEW TOWN WHICH WILL HAVE AN ESTIMATED POPULATION OF NEARLY 500,000 JHEN FULLY DEVELOPED.

MR. ARTHUR CHAN, THE ACTING CHIEF PLANNING OFFICER OF THE TUEN MUN NEW TOWN DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, P.W.D. ELABORATED ON THE SYSTEM WHICH IS UNIQUE IN HONG KONG.

HE EMPHASISED THAT THE DECISION OF WHETHER TO IMPLEMENT THE SCHEME OR TO WHAT EXTENT IT SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE LATER WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT WORK PROGRESSED.

+ALL WE HAVE DONE SO FAR IS THE RESERVATION OF LAND ON THE PLAN, HE SAID.

MR. CHAN NOTED THAT AN IMPORTANT FACTOR TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WAS THAT THE RIGHT-OF-WAY SHOULD, BY NO MEANS, IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON THE PLANING AND DEVELOPIENT OF THE TOWN.

AS A RESULT, THE NETWORK WAS INTRODUCED IN AREAS WHERE DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING HAD NOT REACHED AN ADVANCED STAGE.

SINCE THE NEW TOWN IS AT ITS EARLY STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT, HE STRESSED THAT THE RIGHT-OF-WAY RJJTING, AS MOJ PLANNED, COVERED ALL POPULATION AND INDUSTRIAL CENTRES STRETCHING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND FROM WEST TO EAST OF THE NEW TJMI.

THE SCHEME CALLED FOR THE RESERVATION OF A TOTAL OF ABO 'T 20 ACRES OF LAND WITHIN THE NEW TOWN.

/+HOWEVER,

+