ENG-2007 — Page 286

234 Transport

Railway Development and Railway Development Strategy 2000

Railways are safe, efficient, reliable, comfortable and environmentally friendly mass carriers. They play a key role in Hong Kong's transport systems strategy and the Government gives high priority to railway development. The Railway Development Strategy 2000, which provides a blueprint for the next phase of railway development, includes a number of new railway schemes to meet Hong Kong's increasing transport needs in a sustainable manner over the next two decades.

Hong Kong's railway development has progressed rapidly during the past few years. About $100 billion has been invested in six railway projects. They are the Tseung Kwan O Line (commissioned in August 2002), the West Rail Line (commissioned in December 2003), the East Rail Line Tsim Sha Tsui Extension (commissioned in October 2004), the Ma On Shan Line (commissioned in December 2004), the Disneyland Resort Line (commissioned in August 2005) and the extension of the East Rail Line to Lok Ma Chau (commissioned in August 2007). Two other railway projects are under construction for completion in 2009, namely the Kowloon Southern Link and the Tseung Kwan O South Station.

Apart from these, the West Island Line, the Shatin to Central Link, the South Island Line (East), the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and the Northern Link are in the planning stage.

Transport Infrastructure

Road Network

Hong Kong has 2 009 kilometres of roads and 1 193 road structures, three immersed-tube cross-harbour tunnels, nine road tunnels and three major cable supported bridges. These facilities provide a comprehensive road network for Hong Kong.

Major projects completed during the year included:

• Widening of the section of Castle Peak Road between Sham Tseng and Ka Loon Tsuen as well as between Ka Loon Tsuen and Siu Lam to a dual two-lane carriageway.

• Route 8 (Cheung Sha Wan to Sha Tin): a dual three-lane carriageway linking Sha Tin and Kowloon.

• Route 9 between Shek Wai Kok and Chai Wan Kok, a dual two-lane carriageway linking Shing Mun Tunnel and Tuen Mun Road, serving as a local link to the western part of Tsuen Wan.

• Improvements to San Tin Interchange: providing traffic lanes to Lok Ma Chau Crossing from northern San Tin Highway and western Fanling Highway to bypass the elevated roundabout of the interchange.

Tunnels

The Cross-Harbour Tunnel, Eastern Harbour Crossing, Tate's Cairn Tunnel, Western Harbour Crossing and Tai Lam Tunnel were built by the private sector under 'Build, Operate and Transfer' franchises. The Cross-Harbour Tunnel, opened in 1972, was handed back to the Government on August 31, 1999, when the franchise. ended.