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The Executive Council decided at its meeting today (January 21) the way forward for the North and West Hong Kong Island Line Extensions, Route 7 and South Hong Kong Island Line and related transport arrangements.
A government spokesman explained that the completion of the North Hong Kong Island Line (NIL) of the Island Line Extensions (ILE) would be deferred to beyond 2016.
The Mass Transit Railway Corporation Limited (MTRCL) would be asked to proceed with further planning on the West Hong Kong Island Line (WIL) Phase 1 from Sheung Wan to Belcher of the ILE including a possible link with the South Hong Kong Island Line (SIL).
The development of SIL along with Route 7 would be considered and the planning of Route 7 would be kept under review.
Also, the interim traffic improvement measures for Pok Fu Lam Road (PFLR) identified under the Alternative Alignments Study for Route 7 would be proceeded for completion by early 2006.
"We have assessed the project proposal and the revised financial proposal submitted by MTRCL for the ILE. We have also completed a review on Route 7 vis-a-vis SIL including MTRCL's preliminary proposal on this," the spokesman said.
"There is a reduction in forecast employment in the Western District and Central reclamation. With the opening of the Shatin to Central Link, the critical sections of the existing Island Line and Tsuen Wan Line will still have spare capacity up till 2016.
"Hence, the need for the NIL has become less urgent." He elaborated.
"As for the WIL, MTRCL proposes to implement the project in two phases. The eastern part of the WIL from Sheung Wan Station to Belcher Station, i.e. WIL Phase 1, should be considered first with the remaining part, WIL Phase 2, which is affected by the Western District Development (WDD) reclamation, to be commissioned at a later stage.
"As the programme for WDD is still uncertain, we have agreed that MTRCL should proceed with further planning on WIL Phase 1.
"We have also completed the review on Route 7 vis-a-vis SIL and decided that we will ask MTRCL to examine modifications to its preliminary proposal on SIL with a view to arriving at a more cost effective option, in particular options in railway technology.
"The WIL Phase 1 and SIL, when taken together, will form a transport 'loop' joining the population centres and tourism nodes including Ocean Park in the Southern District with the northern coast of Hong Kong Island, and accord with the sustainability principle of providing a safe, accessible, efficient and clean transport system.
"We will take forward planning of these two projects with MTRCL with a view to arrive at cost effective schemes. Issues such as funding support from Government, alignment and stations, railway technology will be considered carefully."
"Planning of Route 7 will continue and we will introduce some cost effective interim traffic improvement measures at critical road junctions by early 2006.
"This will improve future traffic condition along PFLR to a satisfactory level before year 2011,"he added.
End/Tuesday, January 21, 2003
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