The planning of infrastructure must take into account future demands in cross boundary passenger and freight movements. The Government needs to provide new rail and road crossings and examine the feasibility of a port rail line for longer distance travel. The new Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line will provide the much-needed relief at the Lo Wu rail crossing. Planning is being undertaken on the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Western Corridor which will provide a new road link with Guangdong Province. At the same time, a number of measures will be introduced to increase efficiency at the existing cross-boundary vehicle checkpoints.
Railways are environmentally-friendly and efficient mass carriers.
Locating future strategic developments along rail alignments will reduce reliance on road-based transport, enhance the efficiency of the rail network, and ensure affordable fare levels. The existing railway network will be expanded over the next five years by about 40 per cent to more than 200 kilometres. In addition, the Railway Develoment Strategy 2000 recommended five more passenger lines and a freight line to meet Hong Kong's needs up to 2016. Chau Spur Line Penny's Bay Rail Link Better quality and coordination of public transport services Hong Kong is a highly mobile city that depends on an efficient and affordable public transport system. Each day, almost 11 million passenger journeys are made on our network of trains, buses, minibuses, taxis, trams and ferries.