No_3_October_1961 — Page 51

Model shows the new buildings envisaged on the central waterfront under the long-term development of Victoria.

TRAFFIC FLOW MAIN POINT IN H. K. CENTRAL PLANNING, BUT CAR WILL NOT BE MASTER

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HREE points stand out in the draft lay-out plan for the long- term development of the central areas of the city of Victoria prepared by the Hong Kong Town Planning Board. They are:

a) the construction of a two-level city centre, with traffic-free pedestrian ways, in two sections, under which vehicular traffic and city services will circulate, and over which will rise multi-storey office blocks and residential buildings.

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b) the construction of a road on the Murray Barracks side of Garden Road from the junction of Lower Albert Road and Garden Road, so that traffic to and from the south will have one-way roads from that point. These two roads will cross the east-west traffic carrying roads by means of fly-overs to solve the present bottleneck at the bottom of Garden Road.

c) the implementation of a ring road system, by which traffic will be diverted round rather than through the central built-up area, based on the use of Queen's Road Central as a one-way east-west traffic route and of Connaught Road Central as a two-

way traffic thoroughfare, plus the closing of Chater Road to through traffic.

In this replanning of the central area of Victoria, the Board says it has had as its main objective "a new city for people rather than for ma chines; to ensure that the car is kept in its place as the servant and not the master of man; but, at the same time, to ensure that space is provided for the car to move freely and stop as desired to meet individual needs.

"Looked at in these terms, it is evident that there is at present a real neglect of the pedestrian domain; a lack of space for walking, sitting.or just browsing in shelter and in the open; there is also a clear lack of space for cars to park."

The Board, therefore, adopted the following basic principles is its plan. ning:

a) To allow an expansion of the existing business centre, including a trade exhibition hall, in buildings worthy of the Colony's increasing importance:

b) To establish a central shopping precinct with space for cars to park

THE HONG KONG & FAR EAST BUILDER — VOLUME 16, NUMBER 3

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at one level and pedestrians to move freely at another level;

c) To improve the safety and speed of vehicular traffic movement into, out of, and within the city;

d) Generally to consolidate the economic headquarters of the Colony and, as far as possible by means of forward planning and layout design, to ensure the prosperity, encourage the growth and maintain the value of the city as an inter-related com- mercial, administrative and cultural

centre.

The pedestrian precincts will be a) the area of the new central re- clamation between the Star Ferry and the Vehicular Ferry piers, and b) in the old Dockyard area.

The first area will serve as major interchange point for

passengers using public transport.

It will also contain the main island terminal for cross-harbour vehicular traffic, a new central bus terminus, facilities for the despatch and receipt of all mail to and from the Island, and a base for small craft working the port, as well as a multi-storey car park.

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