*********************************************************
Following is a question by the Hon Emily Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, in the Legislative Council today (January 9):
Question :
Some residents of Ka Tin Court in Tai Wai have sought my assistance, saying that they had proposed to the authorities the construction of a footbridge connecting Hin Keng Shopping Centre with the Hin Keng Station of the MTR Shatin to Central Link, which is under construction, so as to facilitate access by the residents, but the proposal was rejected. In this connection, will the Executive Authorities inform this Council:
(a) when the aforesaid proposal was rejected;
(b) of the reasons for the rejection;
(c) whether they understand these residents' aspiration and how they will respond to such aspiration; and
(d) whether they will reconsider these residents' aspiration for the provision of a footbridge?
Reply:
President,
While we understand the residents' aspiration for a footbridge linking the railway station to facilitate their access to rail services, the Administration have to consider a number of factors when assessing whether such a footbridge should be provided. These include traffic conditions, topographic conditions, existing pedestrian network and facilities, utilisation rate, extent of nuisance to local residents, technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness.
My reply to the four parts of the question from the Hon Emily Lau is as follows:
(a) and (b) When planning the Shatin to Central Link (SCL), the relevant departments have examined the arrangements of pedestrian access between the proposed Hin Keng Station and its neighbourhood. The section of Che Kung Miu Road outside Hin Keng Station is not a trunk road and its traffic flow is not heavy. By widening the pedestrian crossings and modifying the traffic signals concerned, there will be sufficient capacity for both pedestrian and vehicular flows after the commissioning of the station. Rail passengers can cross Che Kung Miu Road safely and conveniently via these at-grade crossings when accessing Hin Keng Station.
Following the gazettal of the SCL under the Railways Ordinance in November 2010, we received the objection raised by the Incorporated Owners of Ka Tin Court as well as their request for a footbridge connecting the proposed Hin Keng Station and the nearby Hin Keng Shopping Centre for convenient access to the SCL service. Subsequently, we met them to collect their views and responded to them in writing explaining why their proposal could not be accepted.
As the Incorporated Owners of Ka Tin Court maintained their original objection, their views together with all other unresolved objections were submitted to the Chief Executive in Council (CE-in-Council) for consideration on March 27, 2012. The CE-in-Council authorised the implementation of the SCL railway scheme under the Railways Ordinance; in which the footbridge proposal was not incorporated.
(c) and (d) We understand the request from the residents of Ka Tin Court. This issue has also been discussed by the Sha Tin District Council (STDC) recently. In response to the request of the STDC, we are reviewing the latest local development, the relevant traffic data, and connectivity arrangements for the station and will report the findings to the STDC in due course.
Ends/Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:42
NNNN
