ENG-2005 — Page 302

256 Transport

The Government owns seven of the road tunnels (Lion Rock, Aberdeen, Airport, Shing Mun, Tseung Kwan O, Cheung Tsing and Cross-Harbour), which are managed and operated by private companies under management contracts. Use of the Kai Tak Tunnel and Cheung Tsing Tunnel is free of charge. As for the others, tolls are set and monitored by the Government.

In addition, there is a private tunnel named Discovery Bay Tunnel Link, which is built, operated and maintained by Discovery Bay Road Tunnel Company Limited. The tunnel is only open to vehicles providing goods or services to Discovery Bay residents.

Rail Network

Railways form a vital part of the transport network of Hong Kong and are essential for continuous economic, social and land development. The railways in Hong Kong accounted for about 30 per cent of daily domestic passenger travel and about 70 per cent of land-based cross-boundary trips to the Mainland. In line with. the Government's transport policy to use rail as the backbone of its public transport system, the rail systems are being extended to various parts of Hong Kong. The map below shows the coverage of the existing railway network in Hong Kong as well as two new railway lines now under construction.

Shekou

LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT

Shenzhen

Yuen Long

Lok Ma Chau

Lo Wu

SHEUNG SHUI TO LOK MA CHAU SPUR LINE (to be completed in 2007)

Sheung Shuf

EAST RAIL

New Territories

Tuen Mun

WEST RAIL

Tsuen Wan

AIRPORT EXPRESS LINE

DISNEYLAND RESORT LINE

KOWLOON SOUTHERN LINK (to be completed in 2009)

Tung Chung

TUNG CHUNG LINE

Lantau Island

Tai Po

Ma On Shan

TSUEN WAN LINE

Sha Tin

MA ON SHAN RAIL

KWUN TONG LINE

Tseung Kwan O

TSEUNG KWAN O LINE

Kowloon

Hong Kong Island

ISLAND LINE

EAST RAIL EXTENSION HUNG HOM TO TSIM SHA TSUI