n Kowloon-Canton Railway Corp submitted proposals to the Hong Kong regional government on July 13 for the proposed HK$30bn cross-Kowloon rail link connecting the new East Rail terminus at Tsim Sha Tsui and West Rail at Nam Cheong Street. KCRC and MTRC were due to present proposals for the 15 km East Kowloon line from Central to Sha Tin on August 27.
n On July 22 Alexandria Governor Mohamed el-Mahgoub announced plans to develop an Eú80m high-speed rail link giving a 35 min journey from Alexandria to Borg el-Arab airport. A new company would be formed, owned by the local government, ENR, local and foreign shareholders.
n Israel’s ministries of Finance and Transport have decided to upgrade the Qiryat-Motzkin - ’Akko, Pleshet Jn - Ashdod-Ad-Halom and Jerusalem lines, and build a new link from Tel Aviv to Rishon le-Zion. In a letter to the Mayor of Modi’in, Transport Minister Ephraim Sne confirmed that the Ben Gurion airport branch will be extended to Modi’in by 2004.
n Russia’s Ministry of Railways has signed an agreement with the Karelia local government to complete the part-built Ledmosero - Kochkoma railway by the end of this year. Finnish firms have expressed interest in participating in the construction of the proposed Arkhangelsk - Syktyvkar - Perm line by 2016.
n Germany’s Ambassador to Angola Christian Krämer has suggested that German companies would be interested in a two-year €4·7bn programme to rehabilitate the Angolan rail network.
n Spain’s Ministry of Development has called tenders for an 18-month Pts140m study of the rail network in Alicante, which should identify options for improving interchange and meeting future demand. This will include high speed services from Madrid which are expected to use the existing Renfe terminus.
n Hungarian Minister of Transport & Water Management J
