ENG-1999 — Page 298

CHAPTER 14

Transport

248

DENSE urban development, the growth of new towns and sustained activity continue to place heavy demands on Hong Kong's transport system. Careful planning, co- ordination and management are needed to ensure the smooth and efficient movement of people and goods. This involves a sustainable programme to provide adequate transport infrastructure, to improve public transport services, to manage road use, and to improve road safety.

Major developments were recorded in railway services in 1999. The Kowloon- Canton Railway Corporation was formally asked by the Chief Executive in Council in June to proceed with the detailed planning and design of the Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau spur line, a project which will provide much relief to the increasingly congested boundary crossing at Lo Wu. The railway scheme was gazetted in October. During the year, the first station contract for the West Rail was awarded. More significantly, the Financial Secretary announced in his budget speech, a plan to privatise a substantial minority of the Government's shareholding in the Mass Transit Railway Corporation. The Mass Transit Railway Corporation as well as the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation have hitherto been statutory corporations, wholly owned by the Government and government equity has helped propel expansion of the railway network over the years. The privatisation plan would further enhance railway expansion with the introduction of private capital. In road services, the Hung Hom Bypass and the Princess Margaret Road Link were completed in July and August respectively.

The franchise of the Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company Limited (HYF) to operate outlying island, new town and inner harbour ferry services expired on March 31. These ferry services operated by HYF had been grouped into different packages and tendered out as licensed services at the end of 1998. Three-year licences in respect of these route packages were granted to HYF, Star Ferry Company Limited, Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry Limited; Shun Tak Ferries Limited and Discovery Bay Transportation Services Limited which commenced services on April 1. With the approval of the Commissioner for Transport, the HYF licences were subsequently transferred to New World First Ferry Services Limited, which would take over the operation of these services from mid-January 2000.

To promote road safety, legislative amendments concerning drink driving were passed by the Legislative Council on July 16 for implementation on October 1, 1999. These amendments tightened the statutory limit for alcohol concentration in a driver's blood (from 80 milligrams to 50 milligrams in 100 millilitres of blood) and streamlined the procedures in enforcing the controls on drink driving.