XN000022-1981-07-22 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1981

9

NEW LO WU COMPLEX READY IN THREE YEARS

*****

WORK ON THE NEW STATION COMPLEX AT LO WU WOULD START IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR AND BE COMPLETED IN MAY 1984, THE SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT, THE HON DEREK JONES DISCLOSED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM DR THE HON HO KAM-FAI, MR JONES SAID THE NEW STATION WOULD BE BUILT ON THE SITE OF THE EXISTING STATION AND THAT TEMPORARY FACILITIES WOULD BE NEEDED TO RELEASE THE SITE FOR DEVELOPMENT.

+WORK ON THE TEMPORARY FACILITIES COMMENCES THIS WEEK AND IT HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO MINIMISE THE INCONVENIENCE TO THE PUBLIC.

+THESE TEMPORARY FACILITIES WILL INCREASE THE PRESENT PASSENGER HANDLING CAPACITY AT LO WU BY, FOR INSTANCE, DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRATION DESKS FROM 18 TO 36, + MR JONES SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT ALTHOUGH THE TEMPORARY STATION SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN MARCH 1982, IT WILL BE LARGELY OPERATIONAL IN TIME FOR CHINESE NEW YEAR TO CATER FOR THE VERY HEAVY PASSENGER DEMANDS.

AS FOR THE NEW PERMANENT STATION, MR JONES SAID IT HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO HANDLE 10 000 PASSENGERS AN HOUR, THAT IS 5 000 PASSENGERS IN EACH DIRECTION.

+ALL PASSENGER FACILITIES, INCLUDING CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS, HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO MEET THIS LEVEL OF DEMAND AND THE CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION HALLS WILL BE AIR-CONDITIONED.

+MODERN BAGGAGE HANDLING FACILITIES WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED AND THE STATION WILL INCLUDE A RESTAURANT, KIOSKS AND TOILET FACILITIES,+ HE SAID.

MR JONES SAID A PARTICULAR FEATURE OF THE NEW STATION WOULD BE THE SEPARATE LEVELS USED FOR ARRIVING AND DEPARTING PASSENGERS SO THAT THE TWO STREAMS WOULD BE PROPERLY SEGREGATED, EACH HAVING WIDE WALKWAYS ACROSS THE SHUM CHUN RIVER.

THE POLICE POST WOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE STATION COMPLEX INTO A NEW BUILDING ON AN ADJACENT SITE.

/10

Page 10Page 11