The Transport Department today signed a $3.1 million consultancy agreement with Ove Arup & Partners (HK) for the design and construction assignment for the closed circuit television project in the urban and New Territories areas.

Construction is scheduled to start in early 2008 for completion at the end of 2010.

The consultants will be responsible for the detailed design and the administration of the contracts for implementation of the works.

The project involves the provision of 140 cameras in the Tseung Kwan O area, along strategic road network and major roads or junctions, and renewal of about 100 obsolete cameras in Kowloon, Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin. It also includes installation of 180 new cameras for traffic information dissemination to the public.

Upon completion of the project, better coverage of the CCTV system will be provided to the department for traffic surveillance, allowing better monitoring of traffic conditions so that traffic incidents can be handled more promptly.