Transport Infrastructure
(1) South Island Line: The local community has been strongly demanding the extension of the mass transit railway to Southern District. The Executive Council will soon examine a proposal submitted by the MTR Corporation Limited with a view to authorising it to proceed with engineering design. Construction of the seven-kilometre rail line will start in 2011 and cost more than $7 billion. The South Island Line will be commissioned no later than 2015. With the expected endorsement of the West Island Line, Hong Kong Island will have a much more extensive rail network.
(2) The Sha Tin to Central Link: The Sha Tin to Central Link will connect the Northeast New Territories and Hong Kong Island via East Kowloon. The Government has stated that a detailed plan will be ready for public consultation early next year. We expect construction work to start in 2010.
(3) The Tuen Mun Western Bypass and Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link: We have conducted a strategic review of the transport infrastructure for the Northwest New Territories and Lantau to ensure that it can meet future demand. Our plan is to develop the Tuen Mun Western Bypass and the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link at a cost of over $20 billion. Upon completion in 2016, there will be a direct access linking up Deep Bay in Shenzhen, the Northwest New Territories and the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA). The logistics industries will stand to benefit from the direct access, which will also link up the Northwest New Territories and the HKIA, thereby alleviating the busy traffic along the North Lantau Highway in the future.
