TNAG-1857-FCO40-2632-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 161

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

香港立法局

12 July 1989

一九八九年七月十二日

109

總括而言,香港因受地少人多的限制,要有一個流暢的交通,必須大力擴展公共交通,並監管 其服務質素,而管制車輛使用路面,必須從公平與合理原則去考慮。

主席先生,謹此陳辭,支持動議。

SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT: Sir, I am most grateful to Members for the breadth and depth of their views expressed in this debate. I sense in my observation this afternoon that Members are generally supportive of the principles as stated in the Green Paper. I shall therefore forecast a few major areas of concern with a view to elaborating or clarifying those issues. Some of the issues touch upon other policy programmes which I shall take up separately after this meeting.

First, Sir, on the accuracy of the transport forecasts on which the proposed infrastructure programmes are based. Sir, no forecast can ever claim to be accurate, whatever the efforts taken in the data collection and projection assumptions. The important thing is to ensure that they can be revised and updated from time to time to meet changing needs and circumstances.

The First Comprehensive Transport Study (CTS-1) forecasts were based on the decisions made in 1976. That travel demand exceeded the original forecasts was due mainly to a much faster growth in the economy.

In the present Second Comprehensive Transport Study (CTS-2) we have enhanced the computer transport planning model by incorporating the latest techniques of transport planning and modelling technology. This should facilitate updating of the data base. For example, any slowdown in the increase rate of private cars or changes in travel demand will be fed into the computer to assist a flexible adjustment of any mentioned measures. The second aspect, Sir, is on the future transport requirements of infrastructure.

The proposed transport infrastructure programme has taken into account the transport needs of the public housing programmes, the transport implications of Metroplan and the future port and airport development strategies. The proposed road and rail projects are needed irrespective of whether the airport will be relocated, although adjustments are necessary to fit the timing and scale of such proposed projects.

The highway construction programme, as proposed, is intended to improve the north-south and east-west road links to meet the need for linking the new