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The Chief Executive in Council had authorized the railway scheme of the Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line project (Spur Line) under the Railways Ordinance. The notice of authorization was gazetted today (June 14).

"The Spur Line is an important infrastructure of Hong Kong. It will enhance the efficient flow of passengers between Hong Kong and the Mainland and relieve the congestion at the existing boundary control points. It will help Hong Kong to position itself as an important regional transportation hub. The Spur Line will also serve as the transport backbone for new town development. Together with the proposed Northern Link, the railway will form a strategy link between East Rail and West Rail, " a Government spokesman said.

Upon completion, the Spur Line will provide a rail link branching off from East Rail to a new rail boundary terminal at Lok Ma Chau which can handle 150,000 passengers a day initially. The new terminal will be linked to the Shenzhen Metro Huanggang station via a footbridge.

"We are committed to building the Spur Line in an environmentally friendly manner the soonest possible to meet the growing cross-boundary passenger traffic demand. During construction, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) and relevant departments will take necessary steps to ensure safety and minimize the impact of the railway construction on the local communities and the environment. The Bureaux and departments concerned will work with KCRC to ensure that the Spur Line can be completed before mid-2007," the spokesman said.

Under the Environmental Permit for the project, KCRC is required to fully implement all the recommendations set out in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report and to comply with the conditions imposed with the approval of the report, including consulting the Advisory Council on the Environment on the Environmental Monitoring and Auditing Manual (EM&A). The Environmental Protection Department will strictly enforce the permit conditions.

KCRC will set up community liaison offices and community liaison groups with a view to providing easily accessible channels for the local communities to reflect their views. Construction of the Spur Line is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2002 for completion by mid-2007.

The 7.4-kilometre Spur Line will be funded by KCRC at a cost of about $10 billion in 2002 prices.

End/Friday, June 14, 2002

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