ENG-2002 — Page 303

TRANSPORT

maintenance work, utility companies often have to excavate the carriageways and footpaths to lay more pipes, cables and ducts, and to carry out repair work. There were about 141 new road openings each day in 2002. Road openings are coordinated and controlled by the Highways Department through a permit system, under which utility companies are required to carry out work to a required standard and within a time limit.

To coordinate and monitor road opening works more effectively and to minimise traffic disruption, the Highways Department has established a three-tier communication system with participants ranging from high level management to working level staff of utility companies and relevant government departments. A computerised utility management system has been used since 1997 to further improve coordination and minimise inconvenience to road users.

Public Transport

Rail, bus, ferry and other public transport services offer Hong Kong commuters a good choice of different transport modes at reasonable fares and different levels of comfort, speed and convenience.

Railways

Railways account for some 30 per cent of the total daily public transport volume. The railways are built and operated by the two railway corporations, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) and the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL). The KCRC is wholly owned by the Government. The MTRCL was formerly wholly owned by the Government but was privatised in 2000 to become a listed company with the Government remaining as a major shareholder. Both corporations operate on prudent commercial principles providing efficient, reliable and safe passenger rail services to the public.

The KCR (now commonly known as the East Rail) was commissioned in 1910. It is the first and oldest railway system in Hong Kong. The railway was formerly operated by the Government until the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) was established in 1982. The East Rail runs from Hung Hom to Lo Wu at the boundary. There are 13 stations along the 34-kilometre route and the railway carried an average of 810 000 passengers daily in 2002. In recent years, the KCRC has made rapid progress in a number of capital projects on the East Rail, including the train refurbishment project, commissioning of new trains, noise reduction project and upgrading the signalling system. The KCRC also operates inter-city through train. services from Hong Kong to cities in Guangdong as well as to Shanghai and Beijing. Apart from passenger services, the KCRC provides rail freight transportation and intermodal services, covering some 60 cities in the Mainland. The corporation has also made significant progress on projects designed to expand its railway network, including the West Rail (Phase I), the East Rail Extensions, the Kowloon Southern Link and the Shatin to Central Link.

The KCRC also operates the Light Rail (LR), which started operation in the north- western New Territories in 1988. The LR carried an average of 314 000 passengers daily in 2002. To enable the Light Rail to be effectively integrated with the West Rail (Phase I), three existing stops will be upgraded and a new one built to provide convenient interchange with the West Rail. An extension of the Light Rail to the newly developed Tin Shui Wai Reserve Zone will be built. The Light Rail will also be grade-separated on Pui To Road to facilitate traffic flow.

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