TNAG-1725-FCO40-2438-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 126

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL - 20 January 1988

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present level of 689 000 to 856 000 when the Tate's Cairn Tunnel opens before the end of 1991. Plans are in hand to increase both the capacity of public transport facilities and the road network to meet the expected increase in commuter and vehicular traffic during this period and beyond.

At present, about 90 per cent of the passenger trips between north-east New Territories and Kowloon are by the major public transport modes, namely buses and the railway. Daily demand for rail and bus services is estimated to increase by 20 per cent and 14 per cent respectively between now and the end of 1991.

In anticipation of the rapid growth in passenger demand, the Kowloon- Canton Railway Corporation has ordered 25 additional sets of three-car units. Ten of these are already in service and the rest before the end of August. Together with modifications to the seating layout of existing trains, a 75

per cent increase in the seating capacity would be achieved. The corporation has just decided to expand further the capacity of the railway by ordering eight additional sets of six-car units for introduction in 1990 and 1991. On present forecast, this should cater for passenger demand up to 1992.

As regards buses, there are at present 31 routes operating between north-east New Territories and Kowloon. The Kowloon Motor Bus Company's Five Year Development Plan has provided for an additional 12 routes by 1991 to cope with projected demand. The plan is revised annually in the light of changing needs in consultation with district boards.

As regards vehicular traffic, the number of vehicular trips in the corridor in the peak periods is expected to increase by 37 per cent in 1991 over present levels. A large number of road projects are in hand to meet the expected growth. The link road connecting Ma On Shan and Nai Chung Road, to be completed in August this year, will enable traffic to bypass Lion Rock Tunnel and reroute through Sai Kung to Kowloon via Hiram's Highway and Clearwater Bay Road. The completion of Route 5 from Sha Tin to Tsuen Wan and the widening of Tai Po Road to three lanes by the end of 1989 will relieve substantially traffic congestion in the corridor. It is estimated that about 10 per cent of vehicles in the corridor will use Route 5 for trips to Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung. The additional lane on Tai Po Road will provide an extra capacity for 1 500 vehicles per hour and should significantly improve southbound traffic. Finally, the completion of road T6 across the Shing Mun River linking Tolo Highway with Ma On Shan Road in 1990 will provide a shorter route before the opening of Tate's Cairn Tunnel from Tolo Highway to Kowloon via the Ma On Shan- Nai Chung link road which I mentioned earlier.

Apart from these highway projects costing over $3 billion, a consultancy study is being carried out to consider short-term traffic management measures. The first part of the study has been completed and established the effectiveness of the tidal flow scheme and the use of traffic signals to improve traffic flow