ENG-1960 — Page 284

COMMUNICATIONS

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majority of these travelled between Hong Kong and China. In the British section there are 5 diesel electric and 3 steam locomotives, 1 rail-bus, 49 passenger coaches and 210 wagons. All trains are operated by the diesel electric locomotives unless an engine break- down occurs.

ROADS

The continually increasing number of vehicles forces the urban road system of Hong Kong to carry a traffic density as high as or even higher than most cities in the world. Many junctions are overloaded at peak periods and the growing demand for parking space poses one of the Colony's major problems. The crowds using the city streets cause such congestion that some streets have been turned into pedestrian ways and parking of cars has been prohibited in many others. A 30 miles per hour speed limit was introduced in October to the built-up areas, which also became 'silent zones' by the same legislation.

A programme of minor and major road improvements is in train to the fullest extent that finance and manpower permit. Several new major roads are under construction outside the urban areas and more are planned to assist further development through- out the Colony. Communications in undeveloped areas are being improved by the construction of feeder roads and the widening of existing roads.

In the city of Victoria, a new road which will vastly improve the traffic pattern is now under construction. This dual carriage- way, approximately 1,000 yards long, will pass through the site of the former Royal Naval Dockyard on a line parallel with Queen's Road East but nearer the waterfront. This will form another link between the Central District and the Eastern and densely populated part of the city. At present the dockyard divides these parts of the city from each other and the only communication between them of any value is behind the Dockyard through Queen's Road East which is therefore a very serious bottleneck.

One mile was added to Kowloon's road system, and five to the New Territories'. There are now 190 miles of officially maintained roads on the island, 130 in Kowloon and 185 in the New Territories, 505 in all. Most of the roads, including roads in rural areas, are surfaced with concrete, bitumen macadam or asphalt.