XN000022-1987-11-11 — Page 39

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1987

SUBSTANTIAL AND

"OVER THE LAST DECADE,

SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN TRANSPORT HAVE BEEN MADE, DEVELOPMENTS WHICH HAVE IN FACT TRANSFORMED HONG KONG'S TRANSPORT SYSTEM ENTIRELY, HE SAID.

MR LEUNG NOTED THAT 10 YEARS AGO THERE WAS NO MTR, THE KCR WAS STILL A SINGLE TRACK, DIESEL HAULED SERVICE MAINLY SERVED VILLAGERS AND RECREATIONAL TRAFFIC, THERE WAS NO ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR, NO TOLO HIGHWAY OR NEW TERRITORIES CIRCULAR ROAD, AND THE TUEN MUN HIGHWAY WAS ONLY A THREE-LANE CARRIAGEWAY.

ALL THESE MAJOR PROJECTS AND MANY OTHERS HAD BEEN COMPLETED DURING THE PAST 10 YEARS. INVESTMENT IN THE RAIL SYSTEM ALONE WAS $28 BILLION. AND $7.5 BILLION HAD BEEN SPENT ON ROADS DURING THIS PERIOD.

FOR NOW

"MAJOR PROJECTS NOW IN HAND INCLUDE THE LIGHT BAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM BETWEEN TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG DUB ΤΟ OPEN NEXT YEAR, THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING DUE TO OPEN IN 1989, ROUTE 5 LINKING SHA TIN WITH TSUEN WAN DUE TO OPEN IN 1990 AND THE TATE'S CAIRN TUNNEL, WHICH BIDS FOR A FRANCHISE FOR ITS CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION ARB BEING PROCESSED. THE ANTICIPATED DATE OF COMPLETION FOR ТНІЯ TUNNEL WAS MID-1992, BUT WE ARE NOW HOPEFUL THAT IT MIGHT BE ADVANCED TO LATE 1991, "HE SAID.

AGAINST THIS BACKGROUND OF DRAMATIC CHANGES IN THE TRANSPORT SCENE AND TO ALLOW SUFFICIENT LEAD TIME FOR LARGE PROJECTS, MR LEUNG SAID IT WAS NECESSARY TO UPDATE THE FIRST STUDY, AND TO MAP OUT DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS AND PLANS TO TAKE US PAST THE TURN OF THE CENTURY AS A BASIS FOR YET FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS.

THE SECRETARY ASSURED MEMBERS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SEEK THE VIEWS OF THE PULBIC AFTER THE REPORT ON THE SECOND STUDY HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THAT A PAPER WOULD BE DRAFTED ON THE POLICY OPTIONS.

HE HOPED THAT IT WOULD TAKE THE FORM OF A GREEN PAPER ON TRANSPORT AND WOULD BE GIVEN THE WIDEST POSSIBLE PUBLIC CONSULTATION.

"IT IS INTENDED THAT THE GREEN PAPER SHOULD BK READY BEFORE THE END OF NEXT YEAR,' HE SAID.

MR LEUNG ALSO NOTED THAT SEVERAL MEMBERS WERE HIGHLY

SERVICE SUPPORTIVE OF, AND KEENLY INTERESTED IN, A RAIL

BETWEEN THE NORTHWEST NEW TERRITORIES AND THE URBAN CENTRE.

"A DECISION WILL BE MADE AS TO WHETHER IT SHOULD BE BUILT NEXT YEAR. IF IT SHOULD, ON THE EXACT ROUTE, BEFORE THE END OF ACCOUNT WILL TAKE FULLY INTO

THE FINANCIAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC TRANSPORT BENEFITS THE RAIL LINK WILL BRING, AND THE NEEDS RESIDENTS IN BOTH WESTERN NEW TERRITORIES

AND,

THIS

AND

AND

THE URBAN

AREA,

OF HE

SAID.

/WITHIN THE