XN000022-1997-03-12 — Page 17

Reply:

(a)

(b)

Mr President,

(a)

(b)

13

whether the authorities concerned will conduct a test on the level of noise at this section of the railway when the AR is due to have its trial run; if so, whether concerned parties in the district (including District Board members and members of the local concern groups and Mutual Aid Committees) will be invited to take part in the test; and

if the noise level at this section of the railway is found to be higher than the acceptable level, whether the authorities concerned will provide a total enclosure for this section and carry out noise mitigation measures, such as the insulation of windows and the provision of air conditioners, in the neighbouring buildings?

MTRC will conduct a trial run to ascertain the noise impacts from the Airport Railway prior to its opening in 1998. The noise impacts will be assessed at the nearest noise sensitive receivers at Tsing Yi. The Kwai Tsing District Board will be informed of the detailed arrangements near the time of the trial and concerned parties will be welcome to witness the noise tests.

The environmental impact assessment on the Airport Railway project indicated that the mitigation measures already implemented along the railway alignment, which include noise barriers of extended height on its south and absorptive treatment of the regular barrier on its north, would be sufficient to contain noise impacts to levels within the Noise Control Ordinance. However, in case the noise impacts exceed the statutory limits. MTRC will implement the best practicable measures to comply with the Noise Control Ordinance.

End