TNAG-1609-FCO40-22131-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 108

Sccuting for Transport:

Draft Speech by the Hon Michael_Leong, JP,

Sir, I welcome the comments and suggestions made by

many Members on transport. They covere a wide range of issues

but generally fall under the headings of planning, development

and co-ordination of the transport system. It is on this central

theme, Sir, that I would like to respond.

It is now over 10 years since the last Comprehensive Transport Study Report was published, and eight years since the issue of the White Paper on Internal Transport.

7.

Over the last decade, substantial and significant ~proveme and developments in transport have been made, developments which

have in fact transformed Hong Kong's transport system entirely. Ten years ago there was no MTR, KCR was still a single track, diesel hauled service mainly serving villagers and recreational traffic, carrying one eighth of the number of passengers it carries today, there was no Island Eastern Corridor, no Tolo Highway or New Territories Circular Road, and the Tuen Mun Highway was only one three lane carriageway.

All

these major projects and many others have been completed

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Government during the past ten years. Investment in the rail system alone

人

and highways.

is $28 billion, and $7.5 billion has been spent on roads during this same this period.

Further major projects now in hand include the Light Rail Transit system between Tuen Mun and Yuen Long due to open next year, the Eastern Harbour Crossing due to open in 1989, Route 5 linking Sha Tin with Tsuen Wan due to open in 1990 and the Tate's Cairn Tunnel, for which bids for a franchise for its construction and operation are now being

lc.