TNAG-0268-FCO40-304-Petitions-from-rural-consultative-council-of-new-territories-1970 — Page 29

CONFI DENTI AL

Draft No.

(1/2

See attached alteft.

Sir,

I am directed to refer to your memorandum dated 24 January, 1962, addressed to r. Anthony koyle M.F., concerning New Territories affairs. The memorandum was,resented by Ir. koyle to the Secretary of tute and I have now been authorised to reply as follows to the points that it raises: -

(i) Land Folicy

(vi) Appointment of leung Yee Kuk re resentatives to

Executive and Legislative Councils.

These two matters have been dealt with in my letter to you of 1970, and there is nothing to add to the views conveyed in that letter.

(ii) Tourism

The Government of Hong rong concurs with your view that the New Territories has a part to play in relation to tourists visiting the Colony and the Tourist Association is well ware of this fact. There has been in existence since 1968 an Economic Tourism Committee, consisting of representatives of the on Kong Government and members of the Tourist Association, which was set up with the aim of strengthening liaison between Government and the Tourist Association and to assist in the promotion of tourism in the Colony. The Hong Kong Government is, no doubt, always willing to consider any specific proposals on their own merits.

(iii) Widening of Castle Feak Road and Tai Po Road

With regard to the widening of the two major routes linking howloon with the New Territories, it is understood that there is already an item in the ublic horks Programme covering the construction of a new Castle Feak Road at an estimated cost of some 80 million, which is to be a dual carriageway from Tsuen Wan to Castle Peak; ad the matters stand at present, this road is planned to be built in three stages: Stage 1 will cover the construction of a two-lane carriageway, Stage II will add two more lanes and Stage III will result in the completion of a four-lane dual carriageway. tare I is due to be built in phases over a period of 6 to 7 years beginning; in 1971.

As regards the road to Tai Po, the road capacity from Kowloon almost as far as Sha Tin was doubled in November 1967 to 4 lanes with the opening of the Lion Rock Tunnel. The next road improvements are those associated with Stage IA of the Sha Tin Development Scheme. It is understood that work on these will start in 1970 and that some improvement to the congestion which occurs at Sha Tin during the weekend will be effected by the end of the year.

There is an item in the Fublic Works Frogramme for the improvement of the New Territories Circular Road (which includes the remainder of the road from Sha Tin to Tai Po)

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CONFIDENTIAL