XN000022-1978-02-15 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1978

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PLANS TO COPE WITH INCREASE IN TRAFFIC TO SHA TIN

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THE MAIN ROAD BETWEEN KOWLOON AND SHA TIN IS BEING PROGRESSIVELY IMPROVED ALONG ITS ENTIRE LENGTH TO COPE WITH THE EXPECTED INCREASE IN TRAFFIC TO AND FROM SHA TIN, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON, DEREK JONES, SAID TODAY.

HE ALSO REVEALED THAT PLANS ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR A VERY CONSIDERABLE INCREASE IN THE CAPACITY OF THE RAILWAY AS THE GOVERN- MENT IS AWARE THAT IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO COPE WITH THE EXPECTED TRAVEL DEMAND BY ROADS ALONE ONCE SHA TIN NEW TOWN BUILDS UP TOWARDS ITS PLANNED POPULATION OF HALF A MILLION WITH ADDITIONAL POPULATION IN TAI PO AND FURTHER UP THE CORRIDOR.

MR. JONES WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. ALEX WU IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

HE SAID THAT WORK ON DOUBLE TRACKING THE RAILWAY WAS PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY AND A CONSULTANCY WAS BEING COMMISSIONED TO PREPARE DESIGNS FOR ELECTRIFICATION.

MR. JONES SAID: +THIS WOULD INVOLVE ELECTRIC MULTIPLE UNIT TRAINS RUNNING APPROXIMATELY EVERY THREE MINUTES AT PEAK PERIODS BETWEEN SHA TIN AND KOWLOON AND WITH 12-1/2 MINUTE JOURNEY TIME.

+LATER ON THERE WOULD BE A NEW INTERCHANGE STATION WITH THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY AT KOWLOON TONG WHICH WOULD DISTRIBUTE PASSENGERS TO THE WEST KOWLOON CORRIDOR AND TSUEN WAN AND TO KWUN TONG.

+THE OBJECT WILL BE TO GET AS MANY TRAVELLERS AS POSSIBLE TO USE THIS NEW HIGH CAPACITY SYSTEM IN THE EIGHTIES,+ HE SAID.

ON IMPROVEMENT WORKS ON ROADS TO SHA TIN, MR. JONES SAID THE SECOND LION ROCK TUNNEL WAS NOW OPEN AND, WHEN THE RENOVATION OF THE FIRST TUNNEL WAS COMPLETED IN THE AUTUMN, BOTH TUBES WOULD BE IN OPERATION,

CONSTRUCTION OF A SECOND CARRIAGEWAY OF THE ROAD TO THE NORTH OF THE TUNNEL SHOULD ALSO BE COMPLETED BY THEN, HE SAID.

ON THE KOWLOON SIDE OF THE TUNNEL, MR. JONES SAID WORK ON THE CORNWALL STREET/WATERLOO ROAD/JUNCTION ROAD GRADE-SEPARATED INTER- SECTION WAS EXPECTED TO START IN APRIL THIS YEAR AND TO BE COMPLETED IN 1981,

HE ADDED: THE PRINCESS MARGARET ROAD FLYOVER WILL ALSO BE WIDENED TO FOUR LANES, HOPEFULLY BY 1981. THIS WILL LEAVE ONLY TWO TRAFFIC LIGHT JUNCTIONS ALONG WATERLOO ROAD WITH RIGHT-TURN TRAFFIC, AT LANCASTER ROAD AND DURHAM ROAD.

+TRAFFIC VOLUMES AT THESE JUNCTIONS ARE BEING MONITORED AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES WILL BE INTRODUCED WHEN NECESSARY, THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING GRADE-SEPARATED FACILITIES AT THESE JUNCTIONS IS ALSO BEING STUDIED, ALTHOUGH THEIR COST WOULD BE HIGH.* HE ADDED.

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