ENG-1994 — Page 298

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TRANSPORT

TRAFFIC congestion is worsening in Hong Kong, largely due to the rapid growth in the number of private cars. To keep the transport system moving smoothly, several measures were proposed in 1994.

In November, the Working Group on Measures to Address Traffic Congestion published its report at the start of a three-month period of public consultation. The report reaffirmed the government's commitment to investing substantially in transport infrastructure and to expanding and improving public transport services. It also proposed a package of measures to tackle congestion.

In the short term, the working group proposed improvements in traffic management, including more bus priority lanes and tighter controls on road works. Fiscal measures were also proposed to reduce the growth in private vehicle numbers from the current 10 per cent to between two to three per cent per annum. These measures include increases in the annual licence fees and first registration tax of vehicles and in cross-harbour tunnel tolls. The extra revenue raised from the first registration tax increase would be set aside in a transport fund, to be used for improvements to the transport system, such as the provision of better public transport interchanges and expansion of the rail system.

In the longer term, the working group proposed that an electronic road pricing system be introduced to manage the use of road space in the most congested areas at the busiest times. The Governor has already pledged, in his annual address to the Legislative Council in October, to spend $30 billion in the next five years on building new roads.

Other notable developments in the past year included the publication of the Railway Development Strategy, which maps out plans for the future expansion of the railway system; the formation of an infrastructure co-ordination committee to discuss major cross-border projects with the Chinese authorities and the round-the-clock opening of the Lok Ma Chau border crossing.

The Railway Development Strategy was finalised and published in December. It recommended the implementation of three high priority projects by the year 2001 — the Western Corridor, an extension of the Mass Transit Railway to Tseung Kwan O and the East Kowloon Route projects. The Western Corridor in the Western New Territories will comprise a port rail line, a cross-border passenger service and a domestic passenger service, including an extension to Tuen Mun North. The Tseung Kwan O extension will stimulate the further development of the new town. The East Kowloon Route will comprise the

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