Panel on Transport (Minutes) 9 Jan 98

PLC Paper No. CB(1) 1094
(These minutes have been
seen by the Administration)

Ref : CB1/PL/TP/1

Panel on Transport

Minutes of meeting held on Friday, 9 January 1998, at 8:30 am in Conference Room A of the Legislative Council Building

Members present :

Hon Mrs Miriam LAU Kin-yee, JP (Chairman)
Hon CHEUNG Hon-chung (Deputy Chairman)
Hon WONG Siu-yee
Hon Edward HO Sing-tin, JP
Dr Hon Raymond HO Chung-tai, JP
Hon Henry WU
Hon YUEN Mo
Hon CHAN Choi-hi
Hon CHAN Wing-chan
Hon CHAN Kam-lam
Hon LAU Kong-wah
Hon CHOY Kan-pui, JP
Dr Hon LAW Cheung-kwok

Members absent :

Hon LEE Kai-ming
Hon Mrs Selina CHOW, JP
Hon CHENG Kai-nam
Hon Andrew WONG Wang-fat, JP
Dr Hon TANG Siu-tong, JP
Hon NGAN Kam-chuen

Public officers attending :

Mr Kevin C M HO, JP: Deputy Secretary for Transport
For items IV to VII
Mrs Fanny LAW, JP: Commissioner for Transport
For item IV only
Miss Maureen WONG: Principal Assistant Secretary for Transport (6)
Mr Patrick LAI: Chief Superintendent/Traffic
Mr S M LI: Acting Assistant Commissioner for Transport/Technical Services
For items V to VII
Mr Isaac Y N CHOW, JP: Deputy Secretary for Transport
For items V and VII
Mr Davey CHUNG: Principal Assistant Secretary for Transport (4)
Mrs Judy LI: Assistant Commissioner for Transport/Ferry & Paratransit
For item VI only
Mr Brian Lo: Principal Assistant Secretary for Transport (2)
Ms Zina WONG, JP: Assistant Commissioner for Transport/Bus Development
For item VIII only
Mr Nicholas NG, JP: Secretary for Transport
Miss Nancy LAW, JP: Deputy Secretary for Transport
Mr Raymond YIP: Chief Engineer/Railway

Attendance by invitation :

For Item VI only
Hongkong Tramways Limited
Mr Frankie YICK: Director and General Manager
Mr Taurus LEUNG: Business Manager
Ms Diana CHAN: Senior Business Officer

Clerk in attendance :

Ms Estella CHAN,: Chief Assistant Secretary (1)4

Staff in attendance :

Mr Andy LAU,: Senior Assistant Secretary (1)6

I.Confirmation of minutes of previous meeting
(PLC Paper No. CB(1)720)

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 1997 were confirmed.

II.Information papers issued since last meeting

(PLC Paper No. CB(1) 663 - Transport issues referred from PLC members' meeting with Tuen Mun Provisional District Board

PLC Paper No. CB(1) 681- Executive Summary of the investigation report on taxi licensing system prepared by the Ombudsman

PLC Paper No. CB(1)695 - Transport issues referred from PLC Members' meeting with Southern Provisional District Board

PLC Paper No. CB(1) 750(01) - Information paper prepared by the Administration on "Paragraph 6(c) of Schedule 8 to Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) - Fees for Supply of Certificate of Roadworthiness"

PLC Paper No. CB(1) 750(02) - Information paper prepared by the Administration on "Transport-related Fee Increases")

2.Members noted the information papers issued since the last meeting.

III.Items for discussion at the meeting scheduled for 13 February 1998
(PLC Paper No. CB(1)714)

3.Members agreed to discuss the following items at the next regular meeting to be held on 13 February 1998:

Fare increase application by New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Ltd.;
Inter-district bus-only lanes scheme; and
Future of waterborne transport.

4.Members went through the list of outstanding items for discussion and agreed to discuss the following items at the regular meeting to be held on 13 March 1998:

Position report on the feasibility study on Electronic Road Pricing;
Improvement to directional signs on expressways and road markings for restricted zones; and
Progress of the Airport Railway.

IV.Review of Drink Driving Legislation

(PLC Paper No. CB(1)730(01) - Information paper provided by the Administration)

5.Members generally agreed that there was a need to tighten the prescribed alcohol concentration limit in the drink driving legislation so as to provide stronger deterrence. A member enquired about the circumstances under which breath tests would be undertaken during day-time (i.e. from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm) and whether consideration would be given to extending breath tests to cover all day-time accidents.

6.The Assistant Commissioner for Transport/Technical Services (Acting) (AC/TS) replied that following a study on the drink driving situation after the commencement of the legislation, the Administration had observed that around 95% of alcohol-related accidents happened at night. As such, the focus was on night-time accidents whereby all drivers involved would be subject to breath tests, whereas breath tests would only be required for fatal and serious day-time accidents. He advised that the Administration would not introduce random testing at this stage. The Police would only request a suspect to provide breath specimens if they had reasonable grounds to believe that he had alcohol in his body.

7.Regarding the reliability of testing procedures, the Chief Superintendent/ Traffic explained that a suspect would normally be required to undergo a screening breath test conducted at the roadside. If the result of the screening breath test indicated that the suspect was "over the limit", he would be taken to a Police Regional Office for a further breath test on a more accurate breath analyzing instrument, the result of which could be used as evidence in court. Given that the alcohol content in the body decreased with time, it was proposed that the law be amended to allow related tests to be conducted promptly at approved "breath analysis centres" designated by the Commissioner of Police.

8.Referring to a member's question on the relationship between blood alcohol concentration and the percentage of alcohol-related driver fatalities as shown in Annex A(i) of the information paper, AC/TS advised that the drink driving problem in Asian countries was comparatively less serious, but Hong Kong had a relatively higher percentage (10%) of alcohol-related driver fatalities and alcohol-related accidents than other Asian countries like Singapore and Japan. He further said that the summary of world-wide drink driving statistics was only included for members' reference and was not intended for direct comparison purposes.

9.As to whether the general public could be better informed of the amount of beer or wine that could be taken after the revision of the drink driving legislation, AC/TS advised that whilst the amount would vary from person to person depending on the person's own conditions, a general guidance was given in paragraph 6 of the information paper. He, however, pointed out that the implementation of drink driving legislation was intended to put across an essential message to the public that drinking and driving should never be mixed.

10.Members noted that refusal to provide a blood specimen by a suspect would constitute an offence in the drink driving legislation on the assumption that the suspect had alcohol in his body above the legal limit, and that the Police could only ask a suspect to provide a blood specimen at a hospital under the current legislation. In order to streamline the procedure, it was proposed that the law be amended so that the requirement to provide a blood specimen and the refusal to do so could also be made at a police station. In this connection, AC/TS responded to a member's enquiry that the requirement to provide a specimen of blood would only be applicable to offences under the drink driving legislation.

11.Members noted that under the current Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations, a driving instructor's licence should be cancelled or should not be renewed if the applicant was convicted of an offence under Section 39 (driving under the influence of drink or drugs) of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) (RTO), Likewise, no person should be issued with a driving instructor's licence if he had been convicted of an offence under Section 39 of the RTO during the 5 years immediately preceding his application. The Chairman queried the justifications for extending such particularly harsh penalties on driving instructors to other sections of the RTO relating to drink driving.

12.The Principal Assistant Secretary for Transport (6) (PAS/T) responded that since the penalty for offences under the new sections on drink driving added in 1995 (i.e. Section 39A, 39B and 39C of the RTO) were identical to those under Section 39 of the RTO, the sanctions under the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations applicable to Section 39 was proposed to be extended to Section 39A, 39B and 39C. C for T also remarked that given the role of driving instructors, they were expected to set a good example, hence the extension of the same penalty to others. The Chairman, however, pointed out that Section 39 of the RTO, as presently drafted, was intended for more serious offences, and doubted whether the Administration should take legal action against a driver under Section 39 of the RTO on the simple ground that his blood alcohol concentration was above the statutory limit. Given the prescribed limit of the drink driving legislation, which was to be lowered to 50mg per 100 ml of blood, the extension of the sanctions against driving instructors in respect of a conviction under this category would seem too harsh. She therefore urged the Administration to review the matter.

V.Permitted Areas for New Territories Taxis

(PLC Paper No. CB(1)730(02) - Information paper provided by the Administration)

13.In response to members' questions, the Assistant Commissioner for Transport/Ferry & Paratransit (AC/FP) advised that the proposed routes for New Territories (NT) taxis to travel to the new airport would be the most direct ones available. She further said that NT taxis would not be allowed to pick up or set down passengers in the Tsuen Wan area except at designated stops in the Tsing Yi Station of the Airport Railway. Upon the implementation of the proposal, residents in NT East could make use of the direct NT taxi services to reach the new airport via the Shing Mun Tunnels.

14.As to whether the extension of the permitted areas for NT taxis would affect existing taxi services in other parts of the NT, AC/FP said that over the years, the public transport services in the NT had improved a lot. Since 1994, more than 20 green minibus routes, 10 franchised bus routes and 100 residents services had been put into operation. As such, the proposal would not have great impact on residents in the NT. Rather, an extension of the permitted areas for NT taxis would enable NT taxis to provide direct services for NT residents to the new airport at Chek Lap Kok and the Airport Railway.

VI.Hong Kong Tramways' Fare Increase Application

(PLC Paper No. CB(1)730(03) - Information paper provided by the Administration)

15.The Director and General Manager, Hongkong Tramways Limited (DGM/HKT) briefed members that Hong Kong Tramways (HKT) had applied for an increase in tram fares by 40 cents for adults, 20 cents for children and the elderly, and $35 for monthly tickets to take effect from March 1998. Apart from meeting the rising operating costs, a fare increase was necessary in order for the company to further improve its services and to offset the impact of the decline in patronage. He highlighted the various service improvements completed since the last fare adjustment and further improvements planned as contained in the paper prepared by the company and tabled at the meeting. He also advised that the company had implemented various measures to cut costs so as to increase its cost efficiency.

16.Some members expressed concern that the proposed rate of increase of 25% was too high. In particular, when the magnitude of the last adjustment on 12 January 1997 was already as high as 33%, the cumulative rate of increase in 1997 and 1998 would be substantially higher than the cumulative inflation for the same period if the present fare increase application was approved. They therefore requested the company to lower the rate of increase and to introduce section fares where appropriate. A member was concerned that with the keen competition in the transport sector, the declining ridership of the tramway and rising operating costs, HKT would be forced to revise its fares substantially each year. Another member asked if the reduction in patronage was a direct result of passenger resistance to the last fare increase on 12 January 1997.

17.DGM/HKT replied that the present fare increase application was in fact a fare restructuring proposal. Given the low base fares of the tramway, a higher rate of increase was considered necessary. He expected that with the present fare restructuring proposal in place, the fare increase applications for the next two to three years would be in line with inflation. He further said that the proposed increase in fares was small in absolute terms, and even with the proposed fare increase, tram fares were still low compared with those of other modes of public transport. As such, there was no reason to believe that the patronage reduction was related to the fare adjustment last year. Rather, it was more related to the provision of high quality bus services by Citybus on Hong Kong Island and the fact that tram services were adversely affected by road traffic congestion. To improve the reliability of service, HKT was examining the possibility of introducing a centralized control system for better service regulation.

18.As regards members' further queries on the accuracy of the forecast of ridership, DGM/HKT advised that the travelling public generally considered tramway services satisfactory, and there was no reasons to believe that ridership would continue to drop. Presently, the patronage was worked out by a simple division based on the total revenue, and the fares and proportions of different groups of passengers (i.e. adult, children and elderly passengers). However, due to the present location of the fare box which was installed at the exit of a tram, there were cases where full fares could not be collected, and hence, the patronage could be underestimated. To address the situation, the company was discussing with the Transport Department to see if the fare box could be relocated at the entry point of a tram. With continued improvements on fleet allocation and general conditions inside compartments, it was forecast that ridership in 1998 would be maintained at the same level as that of 1997. However, HKT would consider commissioning a consultancy study to assess the future ridership.

19.C for T added that trams had a competitive edge over other means of public transport for passengers taking short journeys. For short journeys, the journey time in taking a tram might not be very different from other means of public transport but tram fares were the cheapest. Presently, HKT deployed 163 trams to carry a daily passenger total of around 280,000. Compared with Citybus, which carried around 300,000 passengers daily with a fleet of 300 buses, the tramway was a very efficient carrier. In considering the fare increase, it was purely a matter for the public to decide whether to accept tram fares increases so as to sustain its operation to meet passenger demand or to keep its fares at a low level, which might eventually lead to the cancellation of the service.

20.On a member's suggestion to lower the rate of increase for children and the elderly, DGM/HKT responded that since the proposed increase was only from 80 cents to $1.00, it would be more appropriate to consider lowering the rate of increase for these two groups of passengers when the base fares were higher in future.

21.Regarding the revenue generated from advertising, DGM/HKT said that there had been a moderate increase in the past but with the downturn of the economy, he expected the annual growth rate to be much lower than the rate of inflation. Presently, around 20% of the revenue was generated from advertising with the remaining 80% from tram fares.

22.A member enquired about the respective proportions of passengers taking long and short journeys and whether HKT had plans to increase the vehicle allocation. DGM/HKT said that the majority of passengers were taking short journeys. The company was examining ways to increase the number of regional services so as to shorten the waiting time during peak periods. In this regard, a regional service between Kennedy Town and Western Market was already introduced in 1997 and another one was being planned for Happy Valley to Causeway Bay.

23.A member pointed out that since Kennedy Town was not served by Mass Transit Railway, he urged HKT to strengthen tram services in the area. DGM/HKT advised that in view of the shortage of a turning point at Wan Chai, the regional service between Kennedy Town and Western Market could not be extended to Wan Chai for the time being. The company would study with the Transport Department on how a turning point could be provided near Wan Chai, and continue to monitor the demand for tram services. Whilst there was a need to reserve part of its fleet for routine maintenance, HKT would look into the possibility of deploying additional manpower to increase the frequency of tram services. The aim was to strike a balance between providing the necessary services to meet the demand for long journeys and introducing more regional services to alleviate boarding difficulties during peak periods.

24.As to the suggestion to increase the speed of trams, DGM/HKT said that trams could, indeed, operate at higher speeds, subject to the problem of road traffic congestion. In this regard, the company maintained close contact with the Transport Department with a view to resolving the congestion at problem spots.

25.A member expressed concern about the welfare of motormen as this would, in turn, affect the service level of tramway. DGM/HKT responded that he shared the member's view that a meal break arrangement was essential for motormen. Actions were in place to launch a full scale meal break arrangement later this year. HKT was also very concerned about the welfare of its staff and maintained close dialogue with them. To bring the salary level of its staff to a level more comparable with that of other public transport operators, an additional salary revision exercise was conducted by HKT on 1 January 1997 to raise the salary of motormen by an average of 4%.

26.Regarding the suggestion to provide air-conditioning on trams, DGM/HKT advised that the proposal was being examined. However, a number of technical issues such as the review of the electricity supply system would be required before implementation. In this regard, a consultancy study would be commissioned in 1998.

27.As regards ways to provide better segregation of passengers from other vehicles at tram stops to enhance safety, C for T advised that the Administration was very concerned about passenger safety at tram stops. They would consider the provision of tram stations with curbs whenever traffic situations would permit. However, since the provision of such tram stations would occupy a traffic lane and hence, reduce the overall traffic capacity, it might not always be possible in all circumstances.

28.On the future development of tramway, a member opined that HKT should explore the feasibility of extending the network to Wanchai Reclamation or Green Island Development and to deploy modernized tram cars such as those in use by the Light Rail Transit. DGM/HKT responded that the company had requested the Administration to reserve suitable tram alignments on both reclamation sites. They would also look into the possibility of deploying new generation tram cars for future use.

29.A member expressed concern about the slippage of the improvement programme and enquired what actions would be taken by HKT to prevent further slippage. DGM/HKT explained the reasons for the delay of the scheduled improvements relating to the introduction of a meal break arrangement and the electrical system re-wiring. He said that there was a need to develop a suitable software application system before the meal break arrangement could be put into effect. The full scale meal break arrangement for mototmen would be implemented later this year. As to the electrical system re-wiring, he advised that due to the planned installation of a driver's vigilance device, it was considered more cost effective to delay the rewiring works so that both projects could be carried out at the same time later this year. He was confident that the said improvements could be carried out as scheduled this year and HKT would submit regular progress reports to the Transport Department.

30.On whether HKT would consider using the Octopus ticketing system, DGM/HKT said that HKT would need to assess whether it was cost effective to deploy such a system for use on tram as a levy would be imposed on each transaction. They would explore the issue with the Creative Star.

VII. Urban Taxi Fare Increase Applications

(PLC Paper No. CB(1)730(04) - Information paper provided by the Administration)

31.At the invitation of the Chairman, AC/FP briefed members that the Transport Advisory Committee (TAC) had recommended an average 5.9% increase in urban taxi fares with effect from June 1998. The rate of increase was in line with inflation and should be acceptable to taxi passengers.

32.The Chairman expressed concern that even after the fare increase, the monthly net income of owner-drivers and rentor-owners would still be less than their average income of the past 3-years in real terms. Furthermore, the respective rates of increase of the present application and the last one on 13 April 1997 were both less than the cumulative inflation for the corresponding period. In response, C for T said that taxis provided a personal, door-to-door service and was not an essential service for the general travelling public. To bring the net income of taxi operators to a level comparable with their average income for the past 3-years would mean a very significant rate of increase in taxi fares and would not necessarily be welcome by the trade. In this regard, she pointed out that rentee-drivers had expressed concern in the past about the adverse effect of fare increases on their revenue. To assess the future role of taxis, the Administration would conduct a review on the operation of taxis including the price differential between taxis and other public transport modes.

33.A member pointed out that some taxi operators had proposed to increase the flagfall rate and enquired about the reason for the Administration to recommend a proposal which deviated from the trade's suggestions. Another member enquired about the reasons for not accepting the proposals put forward by trade associations. Some members enquired if the taxi trade had been consulted on the recommended option (i.e. Option C) outlined in the information paper.

34.In response, AC/FP said that the Administration had received comments from the trade soon after the TAC had announced its recommendation on the urban taxi fare increase. The taxi trade had fragmented views on the magnitude of increase and this explained why the Administration had received three different applications with different magnitudes of increases from urban taxi associations (i.e. Options A, D and E). In considering the fare increase applications of urban taxis, the Administration had considered the existing state of the economy and considered that a higher rate of increase like Options D and E might not be acceptable to the travelling public and lead to a further reduction of revenue to taxi operators. AC/FP further explained that Option A, as proposed by a taxi association, would lead to a decrease of revenue by 2.9%, and thus not be able to restore the financial position of urban taxi operators. As such, Option C was a more balanced fare option. This option would improve the financial position of rentee-drivers and restore the income of owner-drivers and rentor-owners to a level closer to their past income.

35.C for T added that the income difference between Option C and Option D would only be in the region of $200-$300 a month. Even if Option D was adopted, the projected net income would still be lower than the average income for the past 3-years in real terms. It was hoped that with the opening of the new airport at Chek Lap Kok and improvements in the overall economy, the income of taxi operators would increase.

VIII.Ma On Shan Rail and Extension of East Rail to Tsim Sha Tsui

(PLC Paper No. CB(1)730(05) - Information paper provided by the Administration)

36.A member asked if the Administration had considered to commission a consortium other than the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) to construct and manage the Ma On Shan to Tai Wai rail link (MOS rail) and the extension of the Kowloon-Canton Railway from Hung Hom to Tsim Sha Tsui (TST Extension). He said that given the potential for property development along the MOS rail and above the stations, the commissioning of a consortium to take up the projects might be able to achieve lower fares on one hand and speed up the delivery of the project on the other. Another member enquired whether the consortium who had expressed interest in participating in the project had withdrawn its offer.

37.The Secretary for Transport (S for T) replied that whilst the consortium did not indicate that they were no longer interested in the project, the administration intended to invite the KCRC to submit proposals on the implementation of the MOS rail and the TST Extension as a package, for the following reasons:

Since the catchment population for the MOS rail was only marginally adequate for the provision of a mass transit system, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for a consortium to construct and manage the project on its own. As such, it was proposed that KCRC be commissioned to construct and operate the MOS rail and TST Extension as an integrated part of its network so as to improve the financial viability of the projects.
As MOS rail passengers would have to change at the Tai Wai station of the existing KCR line to go to the urban area, integration of the two rail systems could be best achieved if KCRC was to construct and operate the MOS rail. In order to speed up the delivery of the project and to reduce the interface problem, it was considered more practical to commission KCRC to construct and operate the MOS rail link for the interest of the general public.

38.A member said that whilst he did not object to the Administration's proposal to invite KCRC to submit concrete plans for the implementation of the MOS rail and the TST Extension, he opined that equal opportunities should be given to other consortia to take part in the construction and operation of railway projects in future. He said that if the consortia were able to meet the requirements of the Government and were confident that they would be able to maintain a viable service on their own, there was no reason why the Government should reject their case and consider only proposals submitted by KCRC or Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC) on the ground of their railway experience in the local market.

39.S for T noted the member's concern and said that having considered the special circumstances of the proposal, and taking into account the reasons stated in paragraph 37 above, the Administration considered it more appropriate to invite KCRC to submit proposals on the implementation of the MOS rail and the TST Extension. Notwithstanding the above, he did not rule out the possibility of commissioning other potential consortia in future railway projects but said that private consortia, unlike public bodies, might require a shorter period of return on their investment and hence, the resulting pricing strategy might impose greater pressure on fares.

40.Responding to a member's question, S for T said that the implementation of the MOS rail would definitely help in exploring the full potential for property development along the rail and above stations, irrespective of whether the project was to be taken up by a private consortium or by KCRC.

41.Whilst supporting the provision of a rail link to serve the Ma On Shan areas, some members expressed grave concern about the design of the proposed MOS rail. They opined that the current proposal would not help to resolve the growing transport needs of residents in the North East New Territories (NENT) for another rail link to urban areas, and was also not cost effective. Given the existing congestion problem of KCR during peak periods, and taking into account the projected increase of demand in future, by the time the MOS rail was completed, the existing KCR line would not have any spare capacity to absorb the additional demand generated by the MOS rail, in particular, at the Tai Wai Interchange. As a result, MOS rail passengers who were supposed to change at Tai Wai, might go to the University Station directly to take a train at the existing KCR line, leading to the under-utilization of the MOS rail.

42.In response, the Chief Engineer/Railway (CE/R) advised that there would be a series of improvements to the capacity and frequency of the existing KCR line. These included the upgrading of signaling systems and modification of train compartments to increase the overall capacity. KCRC would also examine the possibility of better scheduling and the deployment of more empty trains at Fo Tan station to help accommodating the additional demand in Tai Wai station. To cope with the increase in demand and the interchange requirement, the Tai Wai station would also be upgraded. The Administration would request KCRC to submit detailed proposals in this regard. S for T said that upon the completion of these improvements, the overall capacity of the existing KCR line would be increased by 30%. He assured members that the technical issues had been fully addressed in the engineering feasibility study on the MOS rail and TST Extension

43.A member enquired whether it was possible to extend the TST Extension to Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan areas. Some other members also urged the Administration to extend the MOS rail to urban areas. In response, S for T said that the present proposal was one of the three priority railway projects identified in the 1994 Railway Development Strategy (RDS). To modify the proposal at this stage would have great implications on the overall programme of railway development and would not be in the interest of the general public. He advised that to cater for the future requirement of railway development in the territory, the Administration would shortly commission a study to review the RDS. They would review the previously recommended railway network expansion plan, and consider the need for new railway schemes in the light of the changing circumstances in Hong Kong internally. He assured members that the Government was committed to developing further railway links in the territory so as to serve the long term need of Hong Kong. In the next five years, more than $100 billion would be spent on the three priority railway projects. However, given the resources constraint, the Administration needed to set priorities in implementing the various proposals, having regard to the actual need and pace of development in the areas concerned.

44.As to whether the proposed TST Extension would overload the existing MTR Tsim Sha Tsui station, the Deputy Secretary for Transport said that with the TST Extension, MOS rail passengers going to Tsim Sha Tsui could stay on KCR, thereby relieving the pressure on MTR. Furthermore the Airport Railway would also relieve the congestion at the MTR Nathan Road Corridor. Whilst congestion would still be experienced in the Tsim Sha Tsui station, it was anticipated that the situation would be acceptable in the initial five years. Longer term improvements to the Tsim Sha Tsui station would be identified in due course.

45.In response to members' grave concerns about the design and technical proposal of the MOS rail link including its interface with other rail links in the urban areas, the capacity problem at Tai Wai Station and the impact on the existing KCR line, S for T said that all these issues had been fully addressed in a feasibility study and the Administration was prepared to provide additional information to allay members' concerns. After deliberation, members agreed to put this item on the agenda for the next meeting for further deliberation. Representatives from the KCRC should also be invited to attend the meeting. The Administration should provide the Engineering Feasibility Study Report or its Executive Summary on the MOS Rail and TST Extension and a written response to members' concerns expressed at this meeting.

IX.Any other business

46.There being no other business, the meeting ended at 11:45 am

Provisional Legislative Council Secretariat
9 March 1998