XN000022-1977-06-18 — Page 5

SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 1977

GOVERNMENT WILL MANAGE ABERDEEN TUNNEL BETTER ******

THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED THAT IT WILL MANAGE THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL WHEN IT IS COMPLETED IN 1980 AND HAS NOT ACCEPTED AN OFFER MADE BY THE CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL COMPANY TO MANAGE THE TUNNEL ON ITS BEHALF.

A SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT ALREADY HAS EXPERIENCE OF AND EXPERTISE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE LION ROCK TUNNEL AND WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE TUNNEL UNDER KAI TAK AIRPORT WHEN IT IS COMPLETED.

+THERE WILL BE OBVIOUS ADVANTAGES IN THE GOVERNMENT MANAGING THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER TWO TUNNELS, HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT NOT ONLY WOULD EXISTING GOVERNMENT MANAGER FAL SKILLS IN THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT BE CAPABLE OF FULLER UTILIZATION, MAINTENANCE OF THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER TWO SHOULD ENABLE EQUIPMENT AND LABOUR TO BE SHARED, THUS EFFECTING ECONOMIES WHICH COULD CONVENIENTLY ACCRUE.

THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN LINK ING THE SOUTHERN PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND WITH THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND IN OPENING UP THIS SOUTHERN AREA FOR DEVELOPMENT.

IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE A MUCH NEEDED ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TO THIS AREA, THUS RELIEVING THE EXISTING HAZARDOUS AND CONGESTED APPROACH VIA THE STUBBS, WONG NEI CHONG GAP AND REPULSE BAY ROADS.

+FOR THESE REASONS IT IS CONSIDERED MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE GOVERNMENT, RATHER THAN THE CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL COMPANY, TO ASSUME MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, AS IN THE CASE OF THE LION ROCK TUNNEL, AND CONTROL THE LEVEL OF THE TOLL TO BE CHARGED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID,

+WHEN COMPLETED THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL WILL PROVIDE A FAST NORTH-SOUTH ROUTE BETWEEN THE NEW TERRITORIES AND THE SOUTHERN PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND, VIA THE LION ROCK AND THE CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNELS.

+AS THE GOVERNMENT CONTROLS THE ROAD NETWORK LINKING THE TUNNELS IT WOULD BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO DEAL WITH ANY TRAFFIC PROBLEMS, HE ADDED.

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