ENG-2019 — Page 262

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Transport

The government is carrying out a further investigation study to ascertain the feasibility of the Tuen Mun Western Bypass.

The proposed Trunk Road T4 is a dual two-lane carriageway that will connect Sha Tin Road to Tsing Sha Highway and Shing Mun Tunnel Road, and will become a bypass to Tai Po Road (Sha Tin Section) to cater for long-term traffic flow in Sha Tin. An investigation study will be completed in 2021.

The single-lane Lin Ma Hang Road is proposed to be widened to a single two-lane carriageway between Ping Yuen River and Ping Che Road (Western Section), and between Tsung Yuen Ha and Lin Ma Hang (Eastern Section). A tender assessment for the Western Section and a review for the Eastern Section are in progress.

The proposed Fanling Bypass (Eastern Section) is a dual two-lane carriageway of about 4km, connecting the Fanling North new development area to Fanling Highway. The tender exercise is under way. The Fanling Bypass (Western Section) is under a design and construction consultancy study that began in December.

The government is carrying out a feasibility study to establish the technical feasibility and scope of Route 11, intended to link up Yuen Long and North Lantau, to meet traffic demand arising from developments in the north-western New Territories.

Buses

Franchised Buses

Franchised buses are the largest road-based carriers, accounting for 32.9 per cent of total daily public transport volume. Bus services in Kowloon and the New Territories are largely provided by the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) (KMB). At the year end, KMB was operating 354 bus routes in Kowloon and the New Territories and 64 cross-harbour routes, 51 of which were run jointly with another operator. KMB had a licensed fleet of 4,065 buses, all of which were wheelchair-accessible low-floor vehicles. It recorded an average of 2.8 million passenger trips per day in 2019.

Bus services on Hong Kong Island are provided mainly by New World First Bus Services (NWFB) and Citybus (CTB). At the year end, NWFB was operating 47 bus routes on Hong Kong Island, 13 in Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O and 33 cross-harbour routes, 28 of which were run jointly with KMB. NWFB had a licensed fleet of 685 buses, all of which were wheelchair-accessible low- floor vehicles. It recorded a daily average of 458,000 passenger trips in 2019.

CTB operates two bus networks under two franchises. One covers 52 bus routes on Hong Kong Island, two in Kowloon, one in the New Territories and 34 cross-harbour routes, 23 of which are operated jointly with KMB. The other franchise covers a network of 28 routes linking the urban areas with North Lantau and the airport, and one route for West Kowloon Station. At the year end, CTB had a licensed fleet of 992 buses, all of which were wheelchair-accessible low-floor vehicles. It recorded 611,400 passenger trips on average per day in 2019.

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