XN000022-1996-01-31 — Page 47

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New roads to improve Southern District traffic flow

Following is a question by the Hon Ip Kwok-him and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport, Mr Haider Barma, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

The Government has planned to build Route 7 in Southern District back in 1988 to relieve traffic congestion in the district. However, it is learnt that the project is still in Category C of the Public Works Programme. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

Reply:

(a)

(b)

Mr President,

(a)

(b)

whether it has any plan to upgrade the project in the near future; if not, why not; and

what interim and long-term measures will be adopted to improve the traffic congestion problem in Southern District, and which of those measures can be implemented first?

An integral part of Route 7, from Kennedy Town to Aberdeen, is the section passing over the proposed Green Island Reclamation. As no decision has yet been taken on the reclamation, we cannot proceed with the project at present. We shall re-instate the project in the Public Works Programme once decisions have been taken on the reclamation.

To provide improvements to traffic to and from the Southern District, a number of new highway projects have been planned and some of them are being implemented. Projects in progress which are scheduled for completion in 1997 include:

*

Junction improvements at Pokfield Road/Pok Fu Lam Road

Widening of Pok Fu Lam Road from Pokfield Road to western entrance to HK University campus

Smithfield Extension