ENG-2001 — Page 307

TRANSPORT

Study. The RDS-2000 provides a blueprint for the next phase of railway development.

A further $100 billion will be invested to complete six additional new projects between 2008 and 2016 under this phase of railway expansion. These are the Sha Tin to Central Link, the Island Line Extensions, the Kowloon Southern Link, the Northern Link, the Regional Express Line and the Port Rail Line.

The completion of these projects will expand the present network by at least 70 per cent to over 250 kilometres. About 70 per cent of the total population and 80 per cent of work places will then be within walking distance of the railway stations, and rail will account for about 45 per cent of the public transport system. This will reduce reliance on road-based transport and help to reduce vehicle pollutants and particulate emissions, which amount to some 600 tonnes a year. The role of Hong Kong as a business and financial centre of Asia and its strategic position in the integrated regional economy of the Pearl River Delta will be further consolidated.

Transport Infrastructure

Existing Road Network

At the end of 2001, Hong Kong had 1911 kilometres of roads and 1038 road structures, three immersed-tube cross-harbour tunnels, nine road tunnels and three bridges built high above sea level. These facilities provide a comprehensive road network for Hong Kong.

Recent major road projects completed include:

Route 3: Route 3 is a 29-kilometre strategic highway built to dual three-lane expressway standard. It connects the western part of Hong Kong Island and the north-western New Territories.

Tsing Ma Control Area (TMCA); the TMCA is a 17-kilometre expressway network comprising the Tsing Kwai Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Cheung Tsing Highway, North-West Tsing Yi Interchange, Lantau Link, Ting Kau Bridge and part of the North Lantau Highway. It has a one-way toll collection arrangement. Vehicles travelling on the Lantau Link are charged twice the single journey toll when they return from Lantau Island. The double toll ranges from $20 to $80. The TMCA is operated and maintained by a private management contractor, and is equipped with an extensive traffic control and surveillance system. The system provides a high degree of automation to regulate traffic flows, to assist in dealing with incidents and to provide useful information to motorists.

Existing Tunnels

The Cross-Harbour Tunnel, Eastern Harbour Crossing, Tate's Cairn Tunnel, Western Harbour Crossing and the Tai Lam Tunnel were built by the private sector under 'Build, Operate and Transfer' franchises.

The 1.9-kilometre Cross-Harbour Tunnel connects Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island and Hung Hom in Kowloon. The franchise for the tunnel, which was opened in 1972, ended on August 31, 1999, and the facility was handed back to the Government. With a daily patronage of 120 400 vehicles in 2001, it is one of the world's busiest four-lane road tunnels. The tolls ranged from $8 to $30 for different types of vehicles.

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