XN000022-1991-02-28 — Page 11

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1991

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TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES AT CROSS HARBOUR TUNNELS DISCUSSED

TODAY

(THURSDAY} CONTINUED

THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ITS DISCUSSION ON TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AT CROSS HARBOUR TUNNELS AND RECOMMENDED THE PARE INCREASES APPLIED FOR BY THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY AND THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY.

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MEMBERS NOTED THAT DESPITE THE OPENING OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING (BHC) IN SEPTEMBER 1989 TRAFFIC CONGESTIONS ON BOTH SIDE OF THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL (CHT) HAD NOT ABATED, AND WOULD ONLY SLIGHTLY DECREASE UPON THE OPENING OF TATE'S CAIRN TUNNEL. IN MID 1991.

TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AT BOTH CROSS HARBOUR TUNNELS, THE TAC WAS TOLD THAT A NUMBER OF TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES WERE ALREADY IN HAND.

THESE INCLUDED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUS LAYBY AT THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL KOWLOON PORTAL, WIDENING OF THE VICTORIA PARK ROAD WESTBOUND FROM THREE TO FOUR LANES AND THE COMPLETION OF A NUMBER OF TRAFFIC SCHEMES IN CONNECTION WITH THE OPENING OF THE KWUN TONG BYPASS LATER THIS YEAR.

SIGNS

IN ADDITION, A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE DIRECTIONAL ALONG THE ROUTES TO AND FROM THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING WAS BEING L'ONDUCTED.

HOWEVER, THESE MEASURES COULD ONLY FORM PART OF THE OVERALL PACKAGE TO DEAL WITH THE CONGESTION PROBLEM AT CHT IN VIEW OF THEIR LIMITED APPLICATION.

ABOUT

IN ADDITION, TAC MEMBERS WERE GIVEN DETAILED INFORMATION TUNNEL TRAFFIC, TUNNEL TRAFFIC INTERFERENCE WITH NON-TUNNEL TRAFFIC, AS WELL AS THE PROPORTION OF VEHICLES THAT COULD BE DIVERTED ΤΟ THE EHC AND THE IMPACT OF THE CONGESTION ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES.

TAKING THESE INTO CONSIDERATION, THE COMMITTEE HAD LOOKED INTO THE POSSIBILITIES OF MAKING GREATER USE OF FERRIES, RATIONALISING THE CLASSIFICATION AND TOLLS FOR GOODS VEHICLES FOR THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNELS AND INTRODUCING DIFFERENTIAL TOLLS WITHIN CIT FOR SELECTED HOURS OF THE DAY.

MEANWHILE,

THE TAC HAD ALSO TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE OMELCO TRANSPORT PANEL AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON SOLUTIONS TO THE CONGESTION PROBLEM AT CHF.

AT THE MEETING, THE COMMITTEE

ALSO EXAMINED THE PARE RISE

APPLICATIONS FROM KMB AND CMB.

IN

THE COMMITTEE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, PROCESSING THE FARE INCREASE APPLICATIONS, HAD CAREFULLY STUDIED THE

THE ACTUAL EMPACT OF FUEL PRICE MOVEMENTS ON

OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE TWO BUS COMPANIES SINCE THE OUTBREAK OF THE GULF CRISIS IN AUGUST 1990.

/THE ADMINISTRATION