XN000022-1979-10-10 — Page 22

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1979

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+THE SECOND STAGE, AS FAR AS TSIM SHA TSUI, WILL OPEN AT THE END OF DECEMBER AND THE THIRD STAGE, ACROSS THE HARBOUR, IN FEBRUARY -- THAT IS WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.

HE SAID THE EARLY COMPLETION WITHIN THE ESTIMATED COST WOULD BE A UNIQUE ACHIEVEMENT FOR SO COMPLEX A DEVELOPMENT. CALLING THE MTR AS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING TRANSPORT HAPPENINGS IN HONG KONG FOR MANY YEARS, THE GOVERNOR CONGRATULATED THE CHAIRMAN, THE BOARD, THE STAFF AND THE MANY CONTRACTORS.

HE ALSO EXPRESSED THE GOVERNMENT'S APPRECIATION OF THE PATIENCE OF ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED IN ONE WAY OR THE OTHER BY THE CONSTRUCTION WORKS.

+ONCE EVERYTHING IS BACK IN PLACE, WE MUST MAKE A MAJOR EFFORT TO GET THE STREETS NEATER AND CLEANER THAN THEY HAVE EVER BEEN BEFORE. LET US BE AS QUICK TO RESTORE ORDER AND COMFORT AS WE WERE TO DESTROY IT UNDER COMPULSIONS OF THE RAILWAY'S CONSTRUCTIONS, I LOOK TO ALL CONCERNED TO SEE THAT THIS IS DONE, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

SPEAKING ON OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORT, HE SAID THAT:

* A MORE LIKELY TIMING OF THE COMPLETION OF DOUBLE-TRACK ING

AND ELECTRIFICATION OF THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY IS ABOUT THE END OF 1982-

* THE LIGHT RAILWAY TRANSIT SYSTEMS ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION

FOR HONG KONG ISLAND AND FOR TUEN MUN/YUEN LONG, AND

* STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN, WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE TWO

+

· BUS COMPANIES, TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE BUS SERVICES,

SIR MURRAY REPORTED THAT MUCH PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE ROAD PROGRAMME.

HE SAID THAT MAJOR PROJECTS WHICH HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED OR WERE DUE FOR COMPLETION OVER THE COMING YEAR WERE THE AP LEI CHAU BRIDGE, THE APPROACH ROADS TO THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL, THE TUEN MUN BY-PASS, AND FLYOVERS AT STUBBS ROAD, ROBINSON ROAD/GLENEALY AND POK FU LAM ROAD/HILL ROAD.

SIR MURRAY SAID THE GOVERNMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL COMPANY, WAS COMMISSIONING AN INVESTIGATION INTO EXPANDING CROSS-HARBOUR TRANSPORT BOTH IN THE SHORT AND THE LONGER TERM.

+ALTHOUGH, AS I HAVE EXPLAINED, A GREAT DEAL IS BEING DONE, THE ROAD PROGRAMME WAS QUITE HEAVILY AFFECTED BY REPHASING OF THE PUBLIC WORKS TO REDUCE THE GROWTH RATE OF GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE AND THE DEMANDS IT WAS MAKING ON THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, HE SAID.

THE PROJECTS