The following is issued on behalf of the Transport Advisory Committee:

     The Chairman of the Transport Advisory Committee (TAC), Professor Stephen Cheung, today (February 28) welcomed the traffic and transport-related initiatives set out in the Financial Secretary's 2024-25 Budget.

     Professor Cheung said, "Transport infrastructure provides the impetus for economic development. The Budget announced that the Government is taking forward in an orderly manner the railway and major road projects set out in the Hong Kong Major Transport Infrastructure Development Blueprint, and plans to invite within the year suppliers/operators to submit expressions of interest for the smart and green mass transit systems in East Kowloon, Kai Tak and Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen; and will continue to work with the Shenzhen authorities to take forward two crossýÿboundary projects, namely the Hong KongýÿShenzhen Western Rail Link (Hung Shui Kiu - Qianhai) and the Northern Link Spur Line, with a view to meeting the commuting needs of the public and tourists as well as the development needs of the city. I support the Government to strengthen connections between different areas and unleash the development potential of areas along transport infrastructure. 

     "I note that the Budget features initiatives to proactively promote green transport, including promoting the trials of various new energy public transport, as well as the trials on a variety of new energy commercial transport through the New Energy Transport Fund. I firmly believe that these initiatives will help promote the gradual transformation of public transport towards sustainable development, which will help achieve carbon neutrality and enhance the commuting experience of the public.

     "The TAC will, as always, continue to earnestly offer views on various traffic and transport policies and measures to the Government for building and enhancing our transportation system, with a view to promoting and consolidating Hong Kong's status as an international metropolis."

Ends/Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Issued at HKT 17:30

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