TNAG-0958-FCO40-1177-Construction-of-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 2

On 11th April 1972, after considering memorandum

XCC(72)27, Members agreed in principle to the construction of the Full System of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) as a means of avoiding unacceptable congestion on parts of the urban road network. The Full System, as originally recommended, was programmed to be constructed in nine stages. The Initial System, which was subsequently modified to comprise Stages 1, 2 and 4, has now been opened. The extension to Tsuen Wan comprising Stages 3 and 6 was authorised on 19th July 1977 after Members had considered memorandum XCC(77)54 and work is almost 60% complete. The Island Line was programmed to be constructed in three stages: Western Market to North Point in Stage 5, North Point to Chai Wan in Stage 8 and, finally, Western Market to kennedy Town in Stage 9. (Stage 7 comprises the East Kowloon Line, the route of which is still being protected.)

2

After considering memorandum XCC(78)51, at Annex A, proposing a transport strategy for the Island Corridor with a Mass Transit Light Rail System at its centre, on 20th June 1978, Members advised and the Governor ordered:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

that the transport strategy for the Island Corridor as proposed in paragraphs 7-14 of the memorandum should be approved in principle, subject to the satisfactory resolution of detailed issues of implementation;

that, subject to the provision of the necessary funds by the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council, implementation studies as proposed in paragraph 16 of the memorandum should be carried out to seek a resolution of these issues;

that the Mass Transit Railway Corporation should be formally approached to assist in the development of the strategy, with a view to taking on the responsibility

for the development and operation of the Mass Transit Light Rail System if it was decided to proceed;

that Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company

Limited should be informed of Council's decision on a confidential basis;

CONFIDENTIAL