XN000022-1985-10-30 — Page 27

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1985

+THIS STUDY SHOULD TELL US JUST WHAT FACILITIES WILL BE NEEDED AND WHERE THEY SHOULD BE, HE SAID.

AS FOR THE MORE IMMEDIATE NEEDS AT THE CONTAINER TERMINAL, THE GOVERNOR SAID RECLAMATION OF KWAI CHUNG CREEK TO PROVIDE 25 ADDITIONAL HECTARES OF LAND WAS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, AND WOULD BE COMPLETED BY EARLY 1987.

+NEGOTIATIONS ARE WELL ADVANCED FOR THE ADDITION OF AN AMBITIOUS THREE-BERTH TERMINAL AT KWAI CHUNG, WITH THE RECLAMATION OF A FURTHER 29 HECTARES, HE SAID.

EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING WORK SET FOR EARLY '86

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CONSTRUCTION OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING IS EXPECTED TO START IN EARLY 1986 AND WILL TAKE ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS TO COMPLETE, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY.

THE GOVERNMENT, HE SAID, WAS NEGOTIATING WITH SEVERAL CONSORTIA WHICH HAD SUBMITTED THE MOST PROMISING PROPOSALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION AND FINANCING OF THE CROSSING.

SIR EDWARD SAID IT HAD BEEN DECIDED EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING SHOULD PROVIDE BOTH ROAD AND RAIL FACILITIES.

+ THE ROAD TUNNEL WILL ALLEVIATE CONGESTION THROUGH THE PRESENT CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL AND WILL GREATLY ASSIST THE FULFILMENT OF OUR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.

+THE ADDITIONAL MASS TRANS IT RAILWAY CROSSING WILL RELIEVE PRESSURE ON THE NATHAN ROAD SECTION OF THE RAILWAY AND BRING OTHER TRANSPORT BENEFITS, SIR EDWARD SAID.

THE OPENING OF THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY ISLAND LINE FROM CHAI WAN TO ADMIRALTY HAD INCREASED PATRONAGE ON THE MTR BY ABOUT 300 000 BOARDINGS A DAY.

+THE EXTENSION OF THIS LINE TO SHEUNG WAN, PASSING THROUGH CENTRAL, WILL BE COMPLETED IN THE EARLY SUMMER OF 1986. THIS IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO A FURTHER INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS USING THE ISLAND LINE,+ THE GOVERNOR SAID.

REVIEWING THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ROAD NETWORK DURING THE YEAR, SIR EDWARD SAID THE COMPLETION OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR AS FAR AS SHAU KEI WAN HAD GREATLY IMPROVED ROAD COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE EASTERN PART OF HONG KONG ISLAND AND THE REMAINDER OF THE URBAN AREAS.

/+THE OPENING

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