HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL COUNCIL
31 October 1990 29
air oft noise from such an airport would adversely affect residential areas in Shenzhen and Tin Shui Wai; the proximity of the Mai Po Marshes would cause a serious risk of bird strike for aircraft; the site would not allow for port expansion to share the new transport links required for the airport; and the delicate ecology of Deep Bay could also be seriously harmed. I list these points to illustrate that we do listen to suggestions and consider them thoroughly. But we have yet to hear any proposal which is a serious and well-researched alternative to Chek Lap Kok.
We acknowledge that Chek Lap Kok may not be the best site aeronautically taking South China as a whole, but it is, nevertheless, the best site in terms of resolving the complex problem we are facing. Our problem is not one simply of air traffic growth and difficult terrain. This over-simplification of the problem has led some to suggest we should think solely in terms of siting an airport somewhere on the Chinese side of the border where terrain constraints are less problematic to serve the Pearl River Delta as a whole. This suggestion misses the point that the airport is needed primarily to serve Hong Kong and the future Special Administrative Region which will come into being in 1997. The Joint Declaration and the Basic Law require us to "take measures for the maintenance of the status of Hong Kong as a centre of international and regional aviation". We shall have our own air service agreements and be able to negotiate our own air traffic rights with third countries within the limits laid down in the Joint Declaration. If we fail to have an international airport within the geographical limits of Hong Kong which is capable of meeting demand, we would in effect be giving up this autonomy in civil aviation which has been guaranteed for us in this way. Kai Tak is already the sixth busiest airport in the world in terms of international passengers and the fourth busiest in terms of international freight. It is significantly busier than any airport anywhere in China. Any suggestion that a replacement airport of such world and regional importance would be better sited over the border in Southern China or that we should rely on Shenzhen airport to absorb Hong Kong's forecast air traffic growth ignore all of these important considerations.
And why is it that we cannot simply struggle on using Kai Tak? Indeed, we are already doing everything we can to expand the capacity of Kai Tak, but that capacity is ultimately constrained by the fact that there is only one runway, which, because of its location, cannot even be used 24 hours a day. Although Kai Tak has served us well these past decades, its location is becoming increasingly difficult. Some 350 000 people live under the flight path and the noise impact of aircraft exceeds internationally accepted standards. Safety standards imposed by the physical constraints of the site are also less than ideal. Over the years, we have implemented a number of improvements to extend the life of Kai Tak. These works continue and will provide more parking bays for aircraft, improved air traffic control and improved road access to Kai Tak. Even once all this has been done, Kai Tak will be operating at capacity well before the new airport can open. In the 12 months ending September this year,
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