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THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME

same time, preliminary planning went on for the long-term development of the airport island's real estate.

Retailing Hong Kong Sky Mall

The Hong Kong Sky Mall will be a world-class retail complex covering some 30 000 square metres inside the passenger terminal. During 1997, the AA awarded licences for the operation of more than 140 retail and catering outlets, including the world's largest single duty-free liquor and tobacco concession, perfumes and cosmetics, general merchandise, watches and fine jewellery, bookstores, pharmaceuticals and convenience stores. It will have more than two dozen restaurants and food and beverage outlets.

Planning for Airport Opening

The lead-up to full operation of the new airport involves intensive planning by the AA, its contractors, service providers, airlines, commercial tenants and government departments. This major team effort is co-ordinated by the AA within the framework of an integrated programme which aims to achieve a seamless transition from construction, testing and commissioning of facilities and systems to full airport operation. Within this overall programme, the Airport Operational Readiness (AOR) Programme identifies and monitors the progress of those activities critical to the airport's opening, such as staff recruitment and training and the development of operational policies and procedures. It got into top gear during the year.

The AOR programme also encompasses the conduct of integrated airport trials, scheduled to commence in early 1998, and the mobilisation and relocation of plant, equipment and personnel to the new airport, to be carried out in five phases over a 90-day period before the airport opens.

Transport Corridor

The ACP transport corridor is designed to cater for traffic to the new airport and to relieve congestion on existing roads. It comprises the WHC, West Kowloon Expressway, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi Sections of Route 3, Lantau Link, and North Lantau Expressway.

The WHC is a dual three-lane, immersed-tube road tunnel linking the West Kowloon Expressway with the Western District. It is a key part of the ACP transport corridor and helps relieve congestion at the two existing cross-harbour tunnels. The WHC was opened to traffic on April 30.

The West Kowloon Expressway runs 4.2 kilometres from the WHC to Lai Chi Kok. It serves developments on the West Kowloon Reclamation and helps relieve pressure on existing local roads. It was opened to traffic on February 19.

The Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi sections of Route 3 link the West Kowloon Expressway to the Lantau Link. They comprise the Kwai Chung Viaduct, Rambler Channel Bridge and the Cheung Ching Tunnel. The Kwai Chung Viaduct and the Tsing Yi section were opened to traffic on February 19 and May 22, respectively.

The double-deck Lantau Link consists of the Tsing Ma Bridge linking Tsing Yi to Ma Wan; a viaduct over Ma Wan; and the cable-stayed Kap Shui Mun Bridge linking Ma Wan to Lantau. The Tsing Ma Bridge, with a main span of almost 1.4 kilometres, is the world's longest suspension bridge carrying both road and rail traffic. The

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