HONG KONG’s Mass Transit Railway Corp has launched a 10-year expansion programme costed at around US$4bn, following forecasts that the increasingly congested three-line network will reach saturation point in 2006. As well as the branch to Tseung Kwan O now at the planning stage, MTR envisages two new lines and a fourth cross-harbour rail tunnel. Subject to agreement by the incoming government of the Chinese Special Administrative Region, construction work is expected to start in 2002.
One new line would parallel the inner end of the Kowloon - Canton Railway from Diamond Hill to Hung Hom, serving the present airport site at Kai Tak which is to be redeveloped after the opening of Chek Lap Kok airport next year. The metro would then continue under the harbour to serve the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre on the Wanchai reclamation and terminate at an interchange with the existing Island line.
The second route would duplicate the Island line between Quarry Bay and Central, serving the various reclamations along the north shore of Hong Kong Island and the former British naval base at HMS Tamar which is also to be redeveloped.
The Lam Tin - Tseung Kwan O branch would also be extended north to Hang Hau and Po Lam. In the longer term, MRT hopes to extend its network to serve the south and west of Hong Kong Island, which currently have no rail links.
MRT announced on April 23 that following experiments at Choi Hung station (left) it had decided to install platform screen doors at all its underground stations over the next few years. Design of the installations and related changes to the air-conditioning equipment will begin shortly, so that the first doors can be installed in 2000. The Airport Express and Tung Chung lines opening next year will be equipped with screen doors from the start. o
On April 24, 5000 MTR, KCR, bus and ferry passengers were invited to join a public trial of the Octopus smart card ticketing system, which is due to be launched throughout the region by the Creative Star joint venture in September.
