ENG-1995 — Page 276

TRANSPORT

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 which together can handle about 32 000 vehicles per day. The Lok Ma Chau crossing started operating 24 hours a day on November 3, 1994. 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 four per cent during the year, compared with 1994. The increase was registered mainly at Lok Ma Chau. The average daily traffic figures at the three crossing points in 1995 were about 1 780, 9 100 and 12 400 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, 31 companies operated tourist coach services across the border. Plans are being made to increase the number of channels manned at Lok Ma Chau for processing vehicles and passengers. In the longer term, this crossing point will be expanded.

The Kowloon-Canton Railway continued to play an important role in carrying freight and passenger traffic between Hong Kong and China. Some 1.97 million revenue tonnes of freight were brought into Hong Kong by rail, compared with 2.35 million tonnes in 1994. Exports to China by rail accounted for 860 000 revenue tonnes, a decrease of 19 per cent from the 1.06 million tonnes carried in 1994. There are five goods yards, at Hung Hom, Ho Man Tin, Mong Kok, Sha Tin and Fo Tan, and a marshalling yard at Lo Wu. Freight trains are hauled by a fleet of 12 diesel locomotives. Some 45.4 million passengers crossed the border by rail in 1995, compared with 43 million the previous year. A further extension of the terminal building at Lo Wu was completed in early 1995, doubling its capacity.

Ferry services between Hong Kong and China carried 7 million passengers in 1995, up slightly on the 6.9 million in 1994. At year's end, 10 companies offered a choice of 28 routes.

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 Shenzhen, in 1994 led to a further increase in cross-border traffic, particularly through Lok Ma Chau.

Road Network

Hong Kong's roads have one of the highest vehicle densities in the world. At the end of 1995, there were 458 785 licensed vehicles and about 1 717 kilometres of roads: 420 on Hong Kong Island, 397 in Kowloon and 900 in the New Territories, representing 267 vehicles per kilometre of road. This, combined with the difficult terrain and dense building development, poses a constant challenge to transport planning, road construction and maintenance. There are eight major road tunnels, more than 850 flyovers and bridges, 487 footbridges and 296 subways to help vehicles and people move around.

To cope with increasing transport demands, the Highways Department runs an extensive road construction programme. About 60 road projects are under construc- tion and another 40 are being planned.

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