ENG-1982 — Page 241

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TRANSPORT

flyover. Six footbridges across the KCR track between Hong Lok Yuen and Wo Hop Shek were completed and the level crossing at Wo Hop Shek was replaced by a flyover as part of the Wo Hop Shek interchange project.

In the western New Territories, the diversion of Shing Mun Road together with a footbridge at its junction with Kwok Shui Road was completed. The major project, the second carriageway on Tuen Mun Road between Sham Tseng and Tuen Mun, was nearing completion. The grade-separated interchange at Chai Wan Kok linking Tuen Mun Road and Castle Peak Road and the dual, three-lane carriageway from Yuen Long to Au Tau Road junction were also nearing completion and will be opened to traffic in early 1983. Consultants continued to prepare detailed design for the section of the New Territories circular road from Au Tau to Sheung Shui.

Planning for the Future

A series of transport studies was carried out to assess existing and future travel demands, notably covering the northwest and northeast New Territories, Junk Bay, Lantau Island and Ma On Shan. These studies, undertaken by several international consultancies and monitored by the government, are designed to select the best development options for balanced new townships well provided with industrial, commercial, social, educational and transport facilities.

The Planning Division and the Traffic and Transport Survey Division of the Transport Department carry out traffic studies and are also responsible for providing economic and statistical surveys.

The study to design an integrated public transport system in western Kowloon and New Kowloon to fit in with the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Tsuen Wan Extension was completed in May 1982. With the construction of the MTR Island Line, a similar study is currently being carried out for the Island Corridor on Hong Kong Island.

New Town Development

For more than a decade, the government has been going ahead with its policy of developing new towns in the New Territories. To ensure that an efficient and integrated public transport network is provided in each of the new towns, consultants are commissioned to carry out long-term comprehensive transport strategy studies. In line with the transport policy of more economical use of roads and the underlying philosophy of giving priority to the development of rail and ferry modes that are independent of the road system, several of the new town transport plans are based on rail strategies. --

Tsuen Wan, the first of the new towns, is now almost fully developed. Its accessibility has been greatly improved since the Tsuen Wan Extension of the MTR became operational in May 1982. Negotiations and design work for a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system in Tuen Mun with a possible link to Yuen Long are continuing.

During the year, considerable planning effort continued to be focused on studies of the development potential of two possible additional new towns, at Junk Bay and on North Lantau (in connection with a possible relocation of the airport to Chek Lap Kok). Transport has been an important element of the overall development studies, and in each case the consultants have suggested a rail system in addition to bus services to support the development of these areas.

Although much emphasis is placed on rail developments serving the new towns, bus services will always have an important role to play throughout the territory in comple- menting rail systems by the provision of feeder bus services and by catering for demand outside the railway corridors.