XN000022-1987-01-21 — Page 40

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 1987

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+THESE PROVISIONS HAVE BEEN IN FORCE IN THEIR PRESENT FORM FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS AND THE OPERATORS AND MANAGERS OF FRIENDLY ASSOCIATIONS AND PRIVATE CLUBS CAN REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE LAW, + HE SAID.

MR THOMAS ADDED THAT HE WOULD ASK THE SECRETARY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND INFORMATION TO LOOK INTO THE QUESTION OF PUBLICITY TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THESE PROVISIONS IN THE COURSE OF HIS GENERAL REVIEW OF THE GAMBLING ORDINANCE, WHICH WAS ALREADY UNDERWAY.

LRT EXTENSIONS BEING STUDIED IN STAGES

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THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION (KCRC) IS OBLIGED TO HAVE REGARD TO THE REASONABLE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT OF HONG KONG AND TO OPERATE ON PRUDENT COMMERCIAL PRINCIPLES, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON HARNAM GREWAL, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON TAI CHIN-WAH, MR GREWAL SAID THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT (LRT) EXTENSIONS STUDY, COMMISSIONED AND FINANCED BY THE KCRC, WAS BEING CARRIED OUT IN TWO STAGES.

HE EXPLAINED THAT THE PURPOSE OF STAGE 1 WAS TO EXAMINE EACH ALTERNATIVE ROUTE IN SUFFICIENT DETAIL TO ENABLE THEM TO BE RANKED AND SHORTLISTED SO THAT THOSE WHICH WARRANTED FURTHER MORE DETAILED EVALUATION IN STAGE 2 OF THE STUDY COULD BE IDENTIFIED.

+THE STAGE 1 STUDY HAS IDENTIFIED AND EXAMINED FOUR POSSIBLE LINKS CONNECTING THE LRT WITH THE URBAN AREA AND EASTERN NEW TERRITORIES. THEY ARE THE TUEN MUN TO TSUEN WAN LINK, AND LINKS FROM YUEN LONG TO TSUEN WAN, TAI PO (1.E. TAI PO NORTH) AND SHEUNG SHUI RESPECTIVELY, HE ADDED.

MR GREWAL SAID THAT HAVING CONSIDERED THE CONSULTANTS' INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF THE FOUR ALTERNATIVE ALIGNMENTS AND PATTERN OF TRAVEL DEMAND IN AND FROM THE NORTHWESTERN NEW TERRITORIES, THE KCRC HAD ASKED THE CONSULTANTS TO EXAMINE THE YUEN LONG TO TSUEN WAN AND YUEN LONG TO TAI PO OPTIONS IN GREATER DETAIL.

+THE SEARCH FOR A VIABLE LRT EXTENSION TO TSUEN WAN IS BEING CONDUCTED IN THE LIGHT OF THESE CONSIDERATIONS, AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE CORPORATION WILL DECIDE WHAT THE PREFERRED ROUTE IS IN MARCH THIS YEAR BEFORE MAKING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO GOVERNMENT, + HE ADDED.

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