XN000022-1995-02-22 — Page 64

(a)

(b)

(c)

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of the reasons for the congestion;

what measures are in place to improve the situation; and

whether there are any plans to implement a full-scale widening of Castle Peak Road; if so, what the specific plans are; if not, what the reasons are?

Reply:

Mr President,

Castle Peak Road can cope with traffic volumes experienced at normal times. Congestion does, however, occur occasionally during peak hours at signal junctions between Sam Shing and Siu Lam, in particular at Sam Shing, Tsing Yung Street and Gordon Hard. To address the problem, Transport Department made adjustments to the traffic signal timings in January this year. The indications are that this has resulted in an improved traffic flow. Transport Department will continue to monitor the situation closely.

To cope with the additional traffic generated by the new developments along Castle Peak Road near Tsuen Wan, a new dual two-lane bypass, Hoi On Road, was opened to traffic in early January 1995. Since then, the traffic flow in this location has improved considerably.

There are plans to widen Castle Peak Road between Tsuen Wan and Sam Shing. The programme is as follows:

(i)

Tsuen Wan Area 2 to Ka Loon Tsuen

(ii)

Highways Department is now carrying out an engineering feasibility study to widen this section of the road. The intention is to upgrade it to dual two-lane. The study will be completed by the end of this year.

Ka Loon Tsuen to Siu Lam

This section has already been widened to 10.3 metres to provide three lanes: two Tuen Mun-bound and one Kowloon-bound.