Ryan Ip, vice-president and executive director of Our Hong Kong Foundation’s public policy institute, also acknowledged it would be difficult to further reduce construction time, after the government said the system could be up and running three years earlier than expected.
“I understand there are procedures on tendering, and there will be construction time… I think it is hard to push even ahead of 2031,” Ip told RTHK.
The authorities recently revised their plan on building the 3.5-kilometre system between Kai Tak MTR Station and the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, with a target for the route to be in service by 2031.
Changes include adding one more stop and making it a six-station line, which Ip said provides an opportunity to improve the system’s design.
“There are two [plots of] commercial land that are still to be sold at that new station area, and I urge the government to take reference on what Singapore has done on its [Light Rail Transit] system to seamlessly connect or integrate the new stations with the commercial buildings nearby,” he said.
Another revision put forward by officials was to keep the system at least 20 metres away from residential properties, instead of the 10 metres initially proposed.
But according to Kowloon City District Councillor Jimmy Lam, privacy concerns still linger.
Lam also urged authorities to look for ways to connect the Hong Kong Children’s Hospital and the incoming New Acute Hospital with the proposed route.
He said officials could take reference from the escalators and walkway system between Central and Mid-Levels.
