TNAG-1060-FCO40-1310-Mass-Transit-Railway-in-Hong-Kong-1981 — Page 141

CONFIDENTIAL

For discussion

on 12th May 1981

Акк

AKK 173/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO. 51 CC(81)47 34

1 1 MAY 1981

DESK OFFICER

Copy No ..

REGISTRY

AW 15

MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

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interity

THE FUTURE OF THE HONG KONG TRAMWAY SYSTEM

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of 80

19

8.5.

PA.

On 23rd December 1980, having considered the proposal to construct the Mass Transit Railway Island Line, Members advised and the Governor ordered that, subject to certain conditions, the proposal should be accepted. Among these conditions, however, Members indicated a concern as to the future of the tramway system. In this regard they advised specifically:

(a) that the proposals to provide a central fence and raised

kerb along the tram track should be noted but that the Government should not be committed to accepting them;

(b)

and

that the possibility of turning some west bound trams around in Central should be re-examined.

Background

2

During the development of the proposal to construct the Mass Transit Railway Island Line, the Administration anticipated that the existing tramway system could continue to operate as a major carrier along the Corridor with the progressive implementation of track segregation measures to improve speed and capacity and with the ultimate replacement of the existing trams, probably towards the beginning of the 1990s, by a fleet of more powerful modern vehicles. This concept was based on an analysis which indicated a requirement for the continuation of the existing tramway system to cope with passenger demands in the Island Corridor up to the opening of the Mass Transit Railway Island Line in 1985/86 and beyond, without there being an over-provision of capacity on all modes of public transport in the Corridor.

3

In view of the concern expressed by Members and of their specific advice with regard to track segregation in paragraph 1(a) above, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company, who control the Hong Kong Tramways Limited, were approached for their views as to:

C.S. 166

(a)

(b)

their capability of operating the existing tramway system until the end of the decade with no commitment on further track segregation measures; and

their willingness to modernise the tramway system at some future date.

CONFIDENTIAL ##