XN000022-1994-01-27 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 1994

COMMISSIONER FOR

MEMBERS OF THE WORKING GROUP INCLUDE THE TRANSPORT AND THE DEPUTY SECRETARIES FOR TRANSPORT. THE GOVERNMENT ECONOMIST AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FINANCE BRANCH AND THE POLICE WILL BE CO-OPTED WHENEVER NECESSARY.

FIRST

ON A PROPOSAL TO BUILD A SECTION OF THE AIRPORT RAILWAY TO TSING YI, MR BARMA SAID THIS WAS NOT FINANCIALLY VIABLE BECAUSE THIS PART OF THE LINE WAS MOST COSTLY TO BUILD AND WOULD NOT ATTRACT MANY NEW PASSENGERS.

"OUR POSITION REMAINS TO OBTAIN EARLY AGREEMENT FROM THE CHINESE TO ALLOW THE ENTIRE LINE TO BE BUILT.

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TURNING TO THE TAXI POLICY REVIEW, MR BARMA WELCOMED THE TAC'S DECISION TO ENDORSE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF ITS WORKING PARTY THAT HAVE BEEN WELL-RECEIVED BY THE TRADE AND THE PUBLIC.

THE GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND WILL MAKE A SUBMISSION TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WITHIN THE NEXT TWO TO THREE MONTHS, HE SAID.

ON TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE, MR BARMA SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS COMMITTED TO BUILDING MORE THAN 90 KILOMETRES OF NEW ROADS IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS AND EXPENDITURE ON ROAD CONSTRUCTION THIS YEAR WOULD AMOUNT TO $9 BILLION, REPRESENTING A 30 PER CENT INCREASE OVER 1993.

HK SAID: "WORK IS PROGRESSING SMOOTHLY ON THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING AND OTHER ACP (AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME)

RELATED ROAD PROJECTS. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING TENDERS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TING KAU BRIDGE WHICH WILL BE FUNDED ENTIRELY BY THE GOVERNMENT AND ALSO TENDERS FOR THE ROUTE-3 COUNTRY PARK SECTION WHICH WILL BE BUILT ON A BOT (BUILD-OPERATE-TRANSFER) MODEL."

OTHER MAJOR ROAD PROJECTS DUE TO START IN THE YEAR WILL INCLUDE THE SMITHFIELD EXTENSION A FAST ROUTE LINKING POK FU LAM AND THE WESTERN DISTRICT WITH THE NEW WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING, WIDENING OF LUNG CHEUNG ROAD AND CHING CHEUNG ROAD FROM A DUAL TWO-LANE CARRIAGEWAY TO THREE LANES IN EACH DIRECTION AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE CLIMBING LANES ON THE TUEN MUN HIGHWAY.

ON THE RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT STUDY, MR BARMA SAID FOLLOWING THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE, TWO ADDITIONAL STUDIES WERE BEING UNDERTAKEN ONE TO LOOK AT A PROPOSAL TO BUILD AN EXTENSION OF THE WESTERN CORRIDOR TO TUEN MUN AND THE OTHER TO EXAMINE THE RAILWAY NEEDS IN THE EASTERN PART OF HONG KONG.

COUNCIL

"RESULTS OF THESE TWO STUDIES WILL HELP US TO PREPARE A DRAFT RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR SUBMISSION TO THE EXECUTIVE LATER THIS YEAR," HE SAID.

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