Following is a question by the Hon Duncan Chiu and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, in the Legislative Council today (October 15):

Question:

     The Government announced in December last year that it would adopt Smart and Green Mass Transit System (SGMTS) to take forward the South Island Line (West) (SIL(W)) as an alternative to the original heavy rail scheme. Detailed planning and design are scheduled to begin within this year, with the aim of striving to start the preliminary construction work in 2027. In ‍this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the latest progress of the planning and design work for the SIL(W) project, and the expected announcement date for the specific details of the entire project, including the estimated start and completion dates, as well as manpower and expenditure involved;

(2) regarding the introduction of SGMTS, advanced technologies and management models adopted in the Chinese Mainland or overseas for the SIL(W) project, of the relevant feasibility studies that have been conducted by the Government and the findings of these studies; whether the Government has reached preliminary inclination or decision based on the study findings; and

(3) given that, according to Government information, SIL(W) will pass through core innovation and technology development areas and institutions, such as Cyberport and the University of Hong Kong, whether the Government has holistically reviewed the project's construction plan and timetable to facilitate its early commencement and completion, with a view to promoting the sustainable development of innovation and technology in Hong Kong; if so, of the details (including how the entire project will be carried out in phases, which work procedures can be streamlined and compressed, the relevant construction costs, the earliest expected commissioning date, and other specific measures to enhance speed and efficiency of the project)?

Reply:

President,

     The preliminary alignment of the South Island Line (West) (SIL(W)) is about 7.5-kilometre long, passing through areas around Aberdeen, Wah Fu, Cyberport, Queen Mary Hospital and Pok Fu Lam. It will provide a convenient feeder services connecting the western and southern parts of Hong Kong Island and facilitate the public to go to the MTR Wong Chuk Hang Station of the South Island Line and HKU Station of the Island Line. Having consulted the Highways Department, the reply to the respective parts of the question is as follows:

(1) We have been actively taking forward the planning work of the SIL(W) and updated the Legislative Council Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways and the Southern District Council on the latest development of the project in December last year and January this year respectively. We are continuing to evaluate the project's financial arrangements, including further optimising the alignment and improving cost-effectiveness, with a view to commencing the detailed planning and design of the project within this year and striving to commence the advance construction works in 2027. We target to announce the latest implementation programme of the project this year.

     Once the detailed planning and design stage has commenced, we will conduct the statutory environmental impact assessment for the project and assess its traffic impact on other road users during and after construction. We will also engage various stakeholders, gather their feedback, and finalise the details of the proposed scheme (including the design of the system, cost, financial arrangements and management mode).

(2) With reference to the studies by the Government on different Smart and Green Mass Transit System (SGMTS) projects and the information obtained from the system suppliers and operators, SGMTS is a medium-to-low capacity system. Compared to the heavy rail system, SGMTS is smaller in size and mainly runs on rubber tyres. Characterised by its lightweight and strong climbing capability, it would induce less noise and visual impacts. Furthermore, the system generally does not require the installation of overhead lines, and its electrical and mechanical support systems and maintenance works are relatively simpler. This type of system is suitable for operating in hilly, developed and congested areas. It can generally avoid running deep underground and reduce the time of passengers traveling to and from the ground level, and is expected to enhance the transport benefits. The SGMTS to be adopted in the SIL(W) project will be determined in the detailed planning and design stage, upon taking into account advanced technologies and operating modes of different systems.

(3) We have been co-ordinating closely with other government departments and organisations for smooth interfaces of the SIL(W) project with the University of Hong Kong, Cyberport and other facilities along the alignment and for facilitating related developments as much as possible. As mentioned in Part (1) of the reply, the details of the proposed scheme of the project will be finalised during the detailed planning and design stage. We will actively consider adopting different innovative technologies, such as the use of Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), to compress the implementation programme as much as possible for the commissioning of the project at the earliest. We will also continue to explore and review other methods to enhance the speed as well as efficiency, including expediting the approval process, to strive for early completion of the project.

Ends/Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Issued at HKT 11:30

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