TNAG-0564-FCO40-659-Construction-of-an-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 4

CONFIDENTIAL

機密

XCC(75)55

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The possibility of building a Mass Transit Railway as a means of moving large numbers of people in Hong Kong, given the severely congested traffic conditions expected as from the early 1980s, has now been under consideration for almost a decade. A number of reports on the overall transport situation in Hong Kong, including studies on a Mass Transit System, were produced in the 1960s, and these were reviewed exhaustively by a Government Working Party in 1971. After consideration by Honourable Members in April and May 1972, a decision in principle was taken to proceed with the full system of the Mass Transit Railway, subject to satisfactory arrangements for financing and the letting of contracts.

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Honourable Members have been consulted on a number of occasions since then as circumstances have changed and decisions have been required. A summary of the main decisions/events since July 1971 up to February 1975 is set out below:

(a) in July 1971: to protect the routes of the Preferred

System;

(b) in April and May 1972: agreement in principle to

the construction of the full system of the Mass Transit Railway subject to satisfactory arrangements for financing and the letting of contracts. (This decision was announced in the Legislative Council by the Financial Secretary in a reply to a question put by Sir Y.K. Kan on 7th June 1972);

(c) in February 1973: to proceed as soon as possible with the construction of the first four stages of the Railway and to make arrangements for the setting up of a Mass Transit Railway Corporation. (The Financial Secretary made a statement to the Legislative Council about this decision on 14th February 1973);

(d) in July 1973: to proceed under a single contract

approach and to continue negotiations with four selected consortia. (The Financial Secretary made a statement to the Legislative Council about this decision on 1st August 1973);

(e) in December 1973: to accept the pre-emptive bid of

the Japanese Consortium and to issue a Letter of Intent;

(f)

in February 1974: to introduce the Mass Transit Railway Provisional Authority Bill into the Legislative Council (this was subsequently passed in March 1974);

CONFIDENTIAL

機密