XN000022-1980-12-23 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1980

WHEN THE ENTIRE LINE FROM WESTERN MARKET TO CHAI WAN COMES INTO OPERATION IN 1986, THERE WOULD BE AN ESTIMATED 0.6 MILLION BOARDINGS A DAY WHICH WOULD EXPAND TO ABOUT 1.4 MILLION BOARDINGS BY THE LATE 1990'S AND TAKE UP THE ESTIMATED FULL CAPACITY. THE RAILWAY WOULD PROVIDE A FAST AND EFFICIENT SERVICE FOR MEDIUM AND LONG DISTANCE PASSENGERS AND A BETTER ALTERNATIVE THAN TRAVELLING BY ROAD,+ THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

AS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S OVERALL STRATEGY FOR THE ISLAND CORRIDOR, THE SPOKESMAN WENT ON, THE ISLAND LINE MUST BE BUILT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND FOR SEVERAL REASONS BE ENTIRELY COMPLETED BY 1986. BY 1986, HE EXPLAINED, THE DEMAND FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE CORRIDOR WILL BE SUCH THAT THE EXISTING MODES COULD NOT ADEQUATELY COPE.+

+SECONDLY, THE PRESENT WORLD SITUATION FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING CONTRACTORS AND FOR MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING SUPPLIERS, TOGETHER WITH THE FACT THAT A NUMBER OF SPECIALIST INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTORS ARE PRESENTLY HERE IN HONG KONG, FAVOURS AN EARLIER RATHER THAN A LATER START, THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED.

THIRDLY, DELAY WOULD MEAN THAT SOME OF THE SITES REQUIRED FOR CONSTRUCTING THE STATIONS MIGHT NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE.

IN THE SHORT TERM SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO EASE CONGESTION AND HELP MEET INCREASED DEMAND FOR TRAVEL IN THE CORRIDOR OVER THE NEXT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS BEFORE THE NEW MTR LINE BECOMES OPERATIONAL. DISCUSSIONS WILL BE CONTINUED WITH THE BUS, TRAM AND FERRY COMPANIES TO CONSIDER THE PART THEY WILL PLAY IN THE IMPROVED TRANSPORT FACILITIES BEING PLANNED FOR THE CORRIDOR.

INCREASED BUS CAPACITY WILL BE PROVIDED, IN PART, BY BUS-ONLY LANES AND, IN PART, BY ADDITIONAL BUSES.

MEANWHILE, TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SCHEMES IN THE CORRIDOR ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY, INCLUDING BUS AND TRAM ONLY LANE SCHEMES IN KING'S ROAD, DUE FOR COMPLETION BY THE END OF THIS YEAR AND ANOTHER BUS-ONLY LANE TO BE INTRODUCED IN CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL NEXT YEAR. BY 1983, AN AREA TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM IS PLANNED TO BE IN OPERATION IN THE CORRIDOR TO SPEED UP THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC.

THE GOVERNMENT IS ACCELERATING ITS ROAD PLANS FOR THE CORRIDOR AND NOW EXPECTS TO COMPLETE THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR ROAD TO SHAU KEI WAN BY MID-1985.

+TO LINK THIS FAST SIX, AND IN PART EIGHT, LANE ROAD TO CENTRAL, THE GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO BUILD AN ELEVATED ROAD ALONG CONNAUGHT ROAD CENTRAL AND GLOUCESTER ROAD BY THE END OF THE DECADE, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

THE ESTIMATED COST OF BUILDING THE ISLAND LINE, AT 1980 PRICES AND EXCLUDING INTEREST AND OTHER FINANCING CHARGES, IS IN THE ORDER OF $7 000 MILLION, COVERING RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION, COMPENSATION, LAND ACQUISITION AND ADMINISTRATION.

TION

/THE MASS