TNAG-0958-FCO40-1177-Construction-of-underground-railway-system-in-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 4

Public transport now caters for about 75% of passenger movements in the Corridor, that is, about 1.6 million boardings per day,

viz:

China Motor Bus (CMB)

Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) Public Light Bus (PLBs)

Hong Kong Tramways (trams)

690,000

200,000

270,000

450,000

However, in 1980 public transport vehicles comprise only 25% of the passenger vehicular flow; private transport modes (private cars, taxis and motor cycles) account for the remaining 75% and contribute greatly to congestion. This congestion also impedes the efficient operation of goods vehicles. A further result of the fierce competition for limited road space in the Corridor has been increasing conflict between pedestrians and vehicles with pedestrians, inevitably, suffering most.

9

The 1979 White Paper on Internal Transport Policy argued for a railway line in the Corridor, which would meet the acute and growing problem of congestion there, and provide an effective link via the MTR and KCR between Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the expanding new towns in the New Territories.

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By the conclusion of the implementation studies, referred to in paragraph 2(b) above, the following uncertainties about the proposed LRT- based strategy became apparent:

(a)

(b)

(c)

the construction of the LRT system might disrupt traffic beyond acceptable levels, especially in view of the extent of the utility diversions required (as indeed had been feared by Executive Council: see paragraph 2(f) above);

the first phase of the LRT system could not be completed before 1986; and

the LRT system might not provide its predicted carrying capacity (20,000 passengers an hour in one direction in two-car, on-street operation and 30,000 passengers an hour in three-car, on-street operation) in the crowded traffic conditions of the Corridor.

CONFIDENTIAL