ENG-1986 — Page 224

TRANSPORT

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The Cross-Harbour Tunnel - opened in 1972 - runs beneath the harbour between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon peninsula. The tunnel's traffic increased over the years to such an extent that, with an average of 110 000 vehicles using it per day in 1983, it became the world's busiest four-lane facility. The eight-class toll structure, with charges varying from $2 for motorcycles to $20 for the largest goods vehicles, has remained unaltered. To reduce congestion, the government, in June 1984, introduced a passage tax of from $2 to $5 on all vehicles using the tunnel, except public and private buses and vehicles used by disabled drivers and members of the consular corps. After an initial drop of 15 per cent in the number of vehicles using the tunnel, the figure had risen again to 110 500 per day by the end of 1986.

During the year, work began on the construction of three new road tunnels. One tunnel - the Eastern Harbour Crossing, is a commercial venture being undertaken by the New Hong Kong Tunnel Consortium, an international group of companies formed for the purpose. It will link Quarry Bay on Hong Kong Island and Cha Kwo Ling in Kowloon by means of an immersed twin-tube crossing incorporating both road and rail (MTR) links. The other road tunnels are being built by the government and are the Route 5 Tunnel, linking Sha Tin and Tsuen Wan, and the Junk Bay Tunnel from Kwun Tong to Junk Bay New Town. All three are scheduled for completion by 1989-90. A feasibility study on Tate's Cairn Tunnel, linking Diamond Hill in Kowloon to Sha Tin, was completed in late 1986 and its findings are being examined. Provided that there are no serious unforeseen problems, it is hoped that this tunnel, which will provide much needed relief for the heavily congested Lion Rock Tunnel, can be completed by early 1992.

More Economic Use of Roads

To improve the traffic situation, comprehensive, computerised traffic control-measures were introduced in Central District and Wan Chai, in conjunction with the upgrading of Connaught Road and the work on improving the access to Wan Chai Reclamation. Preliminary traffic planning work began on the Hong Kong and Kowloon approaches to the Eastern Harbour Crossing, to cope with the expected increase in traffic flows.

In Kowloon, traffic improvement schemes included the widening of Gascoigne Road at its busy junction with Wylie Road and Science Museum Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. A traffic management scheme, involving the removal of car parking spaces and hawkers in Nelson Street, was implemented in Mong Kok, and a major traffic diversion scheme was introduced to cope with the phased reconstruction of the Princess Margaret Road Flyover. In addition to major schemes, changes in the traffic situation throughout the territory were kept under constant surveillance so that traffic light signal timings could be adjusted to deal with changing traffic flows. About 640 sets of traffic light signals are in operation in the territory, including 320 sets which are under computer control. Planning work was in hand to expand the existing computerised Kowloon Area Traffic Control System into Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong to improve conditions there. A contract was awarded to expand the West Kowloon closed-circuit television system, which has proved to be invaluable in traffic control, from the present 10 camera sites to 24. The Hong Kong Island Final Area Traffic Control System is being put into effect, and when completed, will control all traffic light signals on the northern shore of the Island, from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan.

Road Pricing

In December 1985, it was decided that the Electronic Road Pricing System, which involves levying a charge for the use of busy roads at peak periods, should not be introduced for the