LCQ14: Traffic situation of North Lantau and Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge
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Question:
Some Tung Chung residents working at the airport have relayed to me that, at present, they mainly rely on franchised bus services to travel to and from the airport. However, given that the bus routes concerned are circuitous and traffic congestion frequently occurs in Tung Chung Town Centre during rush hours, they have to spend a lot of time on traffic. Moreover, the population of Tung Chung will increase substantially in the coming few years upon the completion of a number of development projects. This will inevitably aggravate the traffic load in the district. On the other hand, the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) is currently conducting a Study on Traffic, Transport and Capacity to Receive Visitors for Lantau (the first Study), which will cover ways to improve the traffic within Lantau Island (such as the traffic network between Tung Chung Town Centre and the Airport Island). Also, the CEDD and the Planning Department (PlanD) are jointly conducting a Planning, Engineering and Architectural Study for Topside Development at Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (the second Study) to consider, among others, the transport connectivity proposals for the Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (HKBCF) Island (the Island) of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), North Lantau and the Airport Island. Regarding issues concerning improvements to Lantau Island's traffic and transport infrastructure, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that some Tung Chung residents have suggested extending the Tung Chung Line to the Airport Island, whether the scope of the first Study covers such suggestion; if so, of the details; whether the authorities have discussed the suggestion with the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL); if so, of the outcome;
(2) of the latest progress of the second Study; whether the CEDD and PlanD have studied my suggestion below: constructing a regional elevated monorail system with stops to be built at places such as Tung Chung, the Airport Island, the Island; if so, of the outcome; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) given the expected completion of HZMB in the third quarter of this year, of the details of the authorities' plans for public transport plying the HKBCF and various districts in Hong Kong upon the completion of HZMB; whether the authorities will work with the MTRCL to explore the feasibility of building an additional HKBCF Station of the Tung Chung Line?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the various parts of the Hon Holden Chow's question is as follows:
(1) According to the information from the Development Bureau (DEVB), the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) is carrying out the "Study on Traffic, Transport and Capacity to Receive Visitors for Lantau". The study does not clearly specify the suggestion to examine the extension of the terminus of Tung Chung Line to the Airport Island, but it will examine the needs and feasible options of transport connection between North Lantau and the Airport Island from the perspective of holistic Lantau planning. The study is expected to complete in 2019.
(2) According to the information from the DEVB, the CEDD and the Planning Department are jointly carrying out the "Planning, Engineering and Architectural Study for Topside Development at Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities Island of Hong Kong - Zhuhai - Macao Bridge". It includes the study on the feasibility of possible transport connection options (including Environmentally Friendly Linkage System) between Hong Kong Boundary Crossing Facilities (HKBCF) Island, North Lantau and the Airport Island. The relevant part of the study is expected to complete by the end of 2018.
(3) To tie in with the commissioning of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), the Transport Department (TD) issued a paper to the Traffic and Transport Committee of all District Councils in May last year to introduce the local public transport arrangements for the HKBCF of the HZMB. Upon the commissioning of the HZMB, nine airport bus "A" routes with higher patronage and frequencies (Note) will be extended to the HKBCF of the HZMB for the convenience of the public. The TD will also introduce three new feeder franchised bus routes plying to and from the Airport (with an en-route stop at the AsiaWorld-Expo), Tung Chung (with en-route stops at Yat Tung Estate and Tung Chung MTR Station), and Sunny Bay (with an en-route stop at Hong Kong Disneyland at specific time); and a new green minibus route plying to and from Tung Chung North with en-route stop at the Catering Services Area. In addition, all types of taxis can be operated at the public transport interchange at the HKCBF of the HZMB. Non-franchised buses that have made prior applications to and obtained approval from the TD can also use the public transport interchange at the HKCBF of the HZMB.
In response to our invitation, the MTR Corporation Limited submitted a proposal for the Tung Chung West Extension (and Tung Chung East Station) in end January 2018, taking into consideration the conceptual railway connection between the Airport Island and the future Tung Chung East Station. The proposal is being evaluated by the Transport and Housing Bureau, the Highways Department and relevant bureaux/departments.
Note: The nine airport bus "A" routes are A11 (plying to and from North Point), A21 (plying to and from Hung Hom), A22 (plying to and from Lam Tin), A29 (plying to and from Tseung Kwan O), A31 (plying to and from Tsuen Wan), A33X (plying to and from Tuen Mun), A35 (plying to and from Mui Wo), A36 (plying to and from Yuen Long), and A41 (plying to and from Sha Tin).
Ends/Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Issued at HKT 15:00
Issued at HKT 15:00
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