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1.West Island Line might open early

1. West Island Line might open early
ANDY CHENG, SCMP 24 August 2005

The long-awaited MTR West Island Line could be completed in 2011 - a year ahead of schedule - if there are no public objections and government talks on subsidies go smoothly, the rail corporation says.

But an MTR Corporation spokeswoman yesterday described Democratic Party calls for the project's completion in 2010 unrealistic.

The Executive Council approved the extension of the Hong Kong Island Line between Sheung Wan and Kennedy Town last month, a move that would cut travel times between the two areas by at least half.

At a meeting between Democratic Party legislator Yeung Sum, district councillors and MTR Corporation chief executive Chow Chung-kong yesterday, Mr Chow made it clear that it would be difficult to have trains running on the line well before 2012. He said this was because of the need for public consultation, gazetting and negotiations over subsidies for the 3km route, which is expected to have three stations - University, Sai Ying Pun and Kennedy Town.

The MTR Corp spokeswoman later said consultation with the Central and Western District Council and residents would start next month on station locations, while an environmental impact assessment for the preliminary design would begin in October.

"Hopefully, the preliminary design can be done by June next year, but it depends on the number of residents' objections to the project. From our experience, resolving objections can take more than nine months," she said.

After the preliminary design, the MTR Corp will need to secure government subsidies, which could be as much as half of the project's proposed $6 billion to $7 billion cost.

"The process can take a very long time. We have to discuss with the government the amount of the subsidy and what form it will take, whether it is a cash injection or the right to property development above the MTR stations," the spokeswoman said, adding that construction work, which would take four years, could ideally start in 2007.

Dr Yeung said his party had conducted a poll of residents after the Executive Council's decision on the project. All 1,742 respondents wanted the railway's fare to be less than $4, and 80 per cent wanted it to be completed before 2012.

"Hong Kong Island west is an old district and many of the residents are elderly. The Democratic Party believes a fare of about $4 is appropriate," he said.

Dr Yeung quoted Mr Chow as saying the MTR Corp would consider giving the elderly concession fares, and more fare-saving programmes would be established.

The push for an MTR extension from Sheung Wan to Kennedy Town dates back to the 1980s, but the project was hampered by construction of the Airport Express link. There were also fears that Kennedy Town's population was not big enough to support a new line.