Study costs to be slashed for vital N Metropolis highway

Staff reporter

A proposal to fund a study of a 23-kilometer Northern Metropolis highway, promising reduced costs and a more efficient timetable, will be submitted to the Legislative Council, according to Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan.

Sources indicate a remarkable cost reduction for the evaluation - from HK$1.13 billion to HK$700 million - with the timeline accelerated by a year.

Chan, during a press luncheon, said the project, envisioned as a pivotal new east-west passageway, will be given top priority.

The highway will connect Tin Shui Wai, San Tin, Kwu Tung and New Territories North New Town.

Plans are in place for the tender process and construction to be scheduled for 2027 and 2028, respectively.

Citing fiscal constraints, she outlined several cost-saving strategies, which include reducing tunneling. For instance, tunneling in the New Territories North New Town section could see a reduction from 2km to 500 meters.

Other innovative cost-cutting measures involve the use of drones and geographic modeling for streamlined data collection and surveying processes.

She hinted at the possibility of future contractors sharing cost savings with the government.

Chan, meanwhile, articulated three expectations for MTR Corp: stringent cost-control on project advancements, diversification of revenue streams beyond fares, and exploration of varied financing avenues - underlining its role in helping shape Hong Kong's future. Ten railway projects are under preparation in Hong Kong, of which six are heavy rails.

The MTRC, in which the government holds a near 75 percent stake, has adopted a rail-plus-property model, with property development rights granted to sustain railway operations.

Chan said the administration will internally evaluate the necessity of leveraging property development to fund railway ventures in tendered projects.

Beyond catering to locals, she stressed the importance of the MTRC devising innovative strategies to attract visitors to its malls and other properties.

The MTRC previously outlined plans for an inventive approach, such as pledging its malls while retaining operational control, issuing 30-year bonds, or employing a mix of funding mechanisms to address over HK$100 billion in financial requirements for project expansions, notably in the Northern Metropolis area.

Among the upcoming 10 railway initiatives, four are designated as smart and eco-friendly mass transit systems, open to development by entities beyond the MTRC. The Smart and Green Mass Transit System in Kai Tak is set to be tendered in the third quarter.

Chan mentioned ongoing assessments of pertinent legal frameworks from the mainland and overseas to establish a universal standard legal structure for these projects.

With regard to the regulation of ride-hailing platforms, four service providers and representatives from the taxi industry are slated to meet with a working group for enhancing personalized point-to-point transport services under the Transport Advisory Committee in February.

Chan emphasized the government's commitment to facilitating passengers in accessing comprehensive information about service providers and ensuring safeguards in case of accidents.

On the cancellation of Greater Bay Airlines' flights, she described the company as a "newborn baby," adding that lessons could be learned from the incident.

staff.reporter@singtaonewscorp.com