Transport blueprint unveiled

December 12, 2023

Secretary for Transport & Logistics Lam Sai-hung:

Next year, for the two (green mass transit) systems at Kai Tak and Kowloon East, we are going to invite expressions of interest from interested suppliers, asking them to submit information.

And at the same time, we will continue to work on the preliminary planning and design.

For example, (for) the Kowloon East (transit system), the difficulty lies (in) the fact that the alignment will run along congested residential areas.

So we need to plan and design the alignment that makes it viable. "Viable" means that it can be buildable and it will cause the least disturbance to the traffic as well as residents nearby.

So we take time, we need some time to do the analysis.

The construction may take longer than expected because we have to take care of the nearby residents as well as the traffic. It may take 10 years or so to complete the project. But I promise you that we will make every effort to advance the implementation so that residents or citizens nearby can enjoy the transit system as early as possible.

(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Government promulgated the Hong Kong Major Transport Infrastructure Development Blueprint today, with a view to meeting the city’s long-term transport and logistics needs up to 2046 and beyond.

Secretary for Transport & Logistics Lam Sai-hung said: “The blueprint aims to drive development, strengthen connection and improve efficiency in order to cater for the public’s and visitors’ commuting demands as well as the city’s development needs.

“The blueprint also promotes cross-boundary integration with the Mainland, particularly with other Greater Bay Area cities, and linking up with the world.”

In terms of specifics, the blueprint includes proposals for enhancements to the “Three Railways & Three Major Roads” initiative, and new projects as part of “Two Railways & One Major Road”.

“Three Railways & Three Major Roads” involves three strategic railway proposals, namely the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link connecting Hung Shui Kiu and Qianhai, the Central Rail Link, and the Tseung Kwan O Line Southern Extension, as well as three major road proposals, namely the Northern Metropolis Highway, the Shatin Bypass and the Tseung Kwan O-Yau Tong Tunnel.

Meanwhile, “Two Railways & One Major Road” comprises the Northern Link Eastern Extension, the Northeast New Territories Line, and the Northern Metropolis Highway (New Territories North New Town Section).

The blueprint also includes proposals to build green mass transit systems in East Kowloon and Kai Tak, with these serving about 300,000 and 50,000 people respectively.

At a press conference today, Mr Lam told reporters that the Government plans to invite suppliers to submit expressions of interest for these two projects next year, while continuing to carry out preliminary planning and design.

He explained that it takes time for the Government to conduct analyses for the projects.

“For the Kowloon East transit system, the difficulty lies in the fact that the alignment will run along congested residential areas.

“So we need to plan and design the alignment that makes it viable. ‘Viable’ means that it can be buildable and that it will cause the least disturbance to the traffic as well as residents nearby.”

He added that it may take around 10 years to complete construction because the Government needs to be mindful of nearby residents and traffic systems.

“But I promise you that we will make every effort to advance the implementation so that residents or citizens nearby can enjoy the transit system as early as possible.”