XN000022-1994-12-14 — Page 24

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Statement on Railway Development Strategy

Following is the statement by the Secretary for Transport, Mr Haider Barma, on the Railway Development Strategy in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Mr President,

Over the past several months considerable interest has been expressed both within and outside this Council regarding the proposed railway in the Northwest New Territories and other rail projects. I am pleased to announce the publication of the Railway Development Strategy today. Copies of the Strategy document have already been distributed to Honourable Members.

The Strategy provides a blue print for the future development of the railway system in Hong Kong. In essence, it identifies three priorities:-

(a)

(b)

(c)

first, the Western Corridor Railway. This will be a new rail corridor through the northwestern part of the territory. It will accommodate three services largely sharing the same tracks, namely a freight line from Lo Wu to the Kwai Chung container port; a cross border passenger service from Lo Wu, and possibly Lok Ma Chau, to a new terminus on the West Kowloon Reclamation; and a domestic passenger service from Tuen Mun North via Tin Shui Wai and Yuen Long to the same terminus in West Kowloon.

second, an extension of the MTR system from Lam Tin to Tseung Kwan O to meet the population build-up of 250,000 by the end of the decade. Its construction will help stimulate land development within the new town and will greatly improve transport services for residents.

third, a new rail link from Ma On Shan to Tai Wai to join the existing KCR system and with an extension of the KCR line underground from Hung Hom to Tsim Sha Tsui. This is, comparatively, a new proposal and, as such, will require further in-depth investigations and a decision on which

agency should be invited to construct this line.

The Administration will invite the KCRC and the MTRC to sumit proposals to build the Western Corridor Railway and the MTR Tseung Kwan O extension respectively. New railway systems inevitably require a long lead time for implementation. In-depth engineering and financial studies have to be undertaken and the actual alignments firmed up before construction can start. The target completion date for all three of these priority projects is 2001.