ENG-2013 — Page 259

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Transport

• Trunk Road T4: The proposed dual two-lane carriageway will connect Sha Tin Road to Trunk Road T3 and Shing Mun Tunnel Road, and will be used as a bypass to Tai Po Road (Sha Tin Section) to cater for the long-term traffic flow in Sha Tin District. The planning for the proposed trunk road is being reviewed following the opening of Route 8 in 2009.

• Tai Po Road (Sha Tin Section): An investigation study on widening the Tai Po Road between Sha Tin Rural Committee Road and Fo Tan Road from dual two-lane to dual three-lane commenced in March 2013.

• Hiram's Highway: The proposed improvement works to Hiram's Highway are planned to be carried out in two stages: Stage 1 covers the section between Hiram's Villas and Marina Cove, and Stage 2 covers the area between Marina Cove and Sai Kung Town Centre. The road alignment plan under Stage 1 has been finalised. For Stage 2, a study is under way to explore options for tackling traffic congestion with as little adverse impact on the environment as possible.

Tsing Ma Control Area

The Tsing Ma Control Area, managed by a private contractor, is a 21-kilometre expressway network comprising Tsing Kwai Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Cheung Tsing Highway, the 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 Lantau Link imposes a 'one-way' toll ranging from $20 to $80 for different types of vehicles. As the Lantau Link is the only road access to Lantau Island and motorists travelling to and from the airport must go through the Lantau Toll Plaza, a one-way toll collection arrangement is adopted at the Lantau Link for the convenience of motorists and to streamline airport-bound traffic. An average of 73,177 vehicles per day used the Lantau Link in 2013.

Tsing Sha Control Area

The Tsing Sha Control Area, managed by a private contractor, is a 13-kilometre expressway network comprising Stonecutters Bridge, Nam Wan Tunnel, a series of tolled tunnels (the Eagle's Nest Tunnel, Sha Tin Heights Tunnel and Tai Wai Tunnel) and associated slip roads. All classes of vehicles using the tolled tunnels pay an $8 toll. In 2013, an average of 42,797 vehicles per day used this expressway.

'Universal Accessibility' Programme - Provision of Barrier-free Access Facilities

In August 2012 the government announced that the scope of its 'Universal Accessibility' programme to retrofit barrier-free access facilities to existing public walkways (public footbridges, elevated walkways and subways) maintained by the Highways Department would be expanded.

The government obtained the approval of the Legislative Council's Finance Committee in January 2013 to create a dedicated block allocation to implement the programme. The government consulted the 18 District Councils in 2013 on the priority for implementation of the public's proposals for retrofitting of lifts under the new policy. Each District Council has selected three priority projects for implementation. Technical feasibility studies are being

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