TNAG-0276-FCO40-312-Plans-for-construction-of-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-1970 — Page 23

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G.F. 323

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to platform level and to extract by means of fans air heated by the trains and passengers. When conditions require it, air conditioning can be provided in the trains and in the underground stations at concourse level though the cost and practicability of this have still to be completely determined.

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Concourses. The system is designed to provide bright,

attractive stations. It is probable that many station concourses would be developed partly by the operating authority, and partly by the private sector so that shops, cinemas, offices or apartments may com- monly form part of the station surroundings extending down to

mezzanine level.

DEPOTS AND CONTROL CENTRE

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The efficient and economic operation of the mass transit system depends on adequate well laid-out depots with the necessary facilities. These aspects have been investigated thoroughly and detailed layouts have been prepared. The control centre, administrative H.Q. and principal maintenance depot for the system would be at Kwun Tong but each line would have its own sub-depot,

THE NEED FOR A SUBWAY SYSTEM

29.

In 1965 public transport trips on all modes numbered about 3.3 million a day. There are now (1970) about 4.4 million a day and the Consultants predict that by 1986 this figure will rise to 7.4 million. This prediction is, if anything, conservative and, if an increase in demand on this scale had to be met by surface transport at present standards of service, then the existing surface transport system would need to be doubled. That doubling has to be seen in company with a trebling of the present private-car population over the same period even assuming a reduction in the annual growth rate for private cars from the current 15% to 10%. This in turn poses the probler whether the road system (even if improved on the scale now being adopted. by the Director of Public Works) can cope with the resultant volume of

traffic.

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There is little doubt that the basic components of the existing public transport fleet can be expanded more or less as Govern- ment decides to keep pace with the demand for additional capacity. In terms of more vehicle capacity there is therefore no serious problem assuming always that the operators find it commercially reasonable to expand. The capacity of the road system to accommodate this expansion can best be considered under two main headings:-

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