ENG-2006 — Page 303

Transport ❘ 251

The Land (Miscellaneous Provision) Ordinance provides the Government with the legal framework to regulate street excavations so that they are carried out in an orderly manner. The Government's cost in the management of street excavations is recovered from excavation permit fees. In addition, an extra fee is charged to cover the economic cost of any delay in completion of an excavation on the carriageway without an acceptable reason. Such extra fees are currently set at $18,000, $7,000 and $1,500 per day respectively for a strategic street, sensitive street and other streets. Under this system, all excavation works promoters are encouraged to carry out better planning and coordination and complete their excavations on public streets on time.

The Highways Department has a dedicated audit inspection team to ensure 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 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 54 182 vehicles used the Lantau Link in 2006.

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

Rail travel accounts for about 35 per cent of the total daily public transport volume. The railways in Hong Kong are built and operated by two railway corporations, the KCRC and 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 Kowloon-Canton Railway was commissioned in 1910 and was formerly operated by the Government until the KCRC's establishment in 1982. The KCRC now runs East Rail (including Ma On Shan Rail), West Rail and Light Rail and provides feeder bus services and inter-city rail services.