ENG-2005 — Page 306

260 Transport

Road Opening Works

Besides serving as carriageways for vehicles and pedestrians, roads also accommodate various utility services, such as water and gas mains, sewers and electricity and telephone cables. To cope with the increasing demand for utility services and maintenance work, utility companies often have to excavate the carriageways and footpaths to lay more pipes, cables and ducts, and to carry out repair works. In order to regulate such activities, any excavation work on carriageways and footpaths maintained by the Highways Department needs an excavation permit. In 2005, the department issued about 40 000 excavation permits.

The Highways Department has established a three-tier communication system with management and staff of utility companies to coordinate and minimise traffic disruption arising from excavation works.

The Land (Miscellaneous Provision) Ordinance was amended in 2004 to strengthen controls over excavation works and minimise delays and inconvenience to the public. It provides the Government with the legal framework to take enforcement action against violations of the ordinance and to charge for excavation permit fees. In addition, it can charge an extra fee to cover the economic cost of any delay affecting the carriageway without an acceptable reason. The extra fees for delays on strategic streets, sensitive streets and other streets, are $18,000, $7,000 and $1,500 per day respectively. With this system, all excavation works promoters are encouraged to carry out better planning and complete work on public roads on time.

The Highways Department has a dedicated audit inspection team which ensures that excavation works are properly carried out and an enforcement team to collect evidence and initiate prosecution when the ordinance is violated.

Tsing Ma Control Area

The Tsing Ma Control Area, which was opened to traffic in May 1997, is a 21-kilometre expressway network comprising the Tsing Kwai Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Cheung Tsing Highway, North West Tsing Yi Interchange, Tsing Yi North Coastal Road, Lantau Link, Ting Kau Bridge, part of the North Lantau Highway and Ma Wan Road. The control area is operated and maintained by a private management

contractor.

The Lantau Link 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 or enter Ma Wan. The double toll ranges from $20 to $80 for different types of vehicles. A daily average of 52 000 vehicles used the Lantau Link in 2005.

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.