ENG-1994 — Page 301

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TRANSPORT

A study is underway to assess parking demand in Hong Kong. It will forecast future demand and identify shortfalls in parking spaces for the territory and make recommenda- tions to solve the parking problems.

The Sha Tin-Ma On Shan District Traffic Study commenced during the year. It will identify traffic problems in the district and recommend improvement measures.

Cross-Border Traffic

There are three road crossing points between Hong Kong and China at Sha Tau Kok, Man Kam To and Lok Ma Chau. The total capacity of the three crossings is about 40 000 vehicles per day. The Lok Ma Chau crossing started operating 24 hours-a-day in November. The Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To crossings open at 7 am each day and close at 6 pm and 10 pm, respectively.

Cross-border vehicular traffic increased by about 11 per cent during the year, compared with 1993. The increase was registered mainly at Lok Ma Chau. The average daily traffic figures at the three crossing points in 1994 were about 1 800, 9 500 and 11 100 at Sha Tau Kok, Man Kam To and Lok Ma Chau, respectively. Goods vehicles accounted for 95 per cent of the traffic, reflecting the rapid growth in trade and industrial links with China. At the end of the year, 30 companies operated tourist coach services across the border.

The Kowloon-Canton Railway continued to play an important role in carrying freight and passenger traffic between Hong Kong and China. Some 2.35 million revenue tonnes of freight were brought into Hong Kong by rail, compared to 2.53 million tonnes in 1993. Exports to China by rail accounted for 1.06 million revenue tonnes, a decrease of 13 per cent from the 1.22 million tonnes carried in 1993. There are five goods yards at Hung Hom, Ho Man Tin, Sha Tin and Fo Tan, and a marshalling yard at Lo Wu. Freight trains are hauled by a fleet of 12 diesel locomotives. A Hung Hom-Daleng railway container shuttle service was commissioned on December 7, 1992. Some 43 million passengers crossed the border by rail in 1994, compared to 40 million the previous year. A further extension of the terminal building at Lo Wu is being constructed to cope with the growth in rail traffic. The project is scheduled for completion in early 1995.

Ferry services between Hong Kong and China carried 7.2 million passengers, compared with 6.5 million in 1993. At the end of the year, there were 29 ferry routes between Hong Kong and China, operated by 10 companies.

The opening of the Shenzhen Airport in October 1991 provided a further impetus to the growth of cross-border traffic, and coach and ferry services now operate between the airport and Hong Kong.

The completion of Phase I of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Zhuhai Superhighway, linking Guangzhou and Huanggang, in 1994 led to a further increase in cross-border traffic, particularly through Lok Ma Chau.

The Road Network

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Hong Kong's roads have one of the highest vehicle densities in the world. At the end of 1994, there were 454 932 licensed vehicles and about 1 661 kilometres of roads - 419 on Hong Kong Island, 395 in Kowloon and 847 in the New Territories, representing 274 vehicles per kilometre of road. This high vehicle density, combined with the difficult terrain and dense building development, poses a constant challenge to transport planning, road