Minutes of the 8th Meeting of the HKSAR Fourth Term of Wong Tai Sin District Council (Summary Translation) Date: 8 January 2013 (Tuesday) Time: 2:30 p.m. Venue: Conference Room, Wong Tai Sin District Council, 6/F, Lung Cheung Office Block, 138 Lung Cheung Road, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon Present: Chairman: Mr. LI Tak-hong, MH, JP Vice-chairman: Dr. WONG Kam-chiu, MH Wong Tai Sin District Council Members: Ms CHAN Man-ki, Maggie, MH Mr. CHAN On-tai Mr. CHAN Wai-kwan, Andie Mr. CHAN Yim-kwong, Joe Hon. CHAN Yuen-han, SBS, JP Mr. HO Hon-man Mr. HO Yin-fai Mr. HUI Kam-shing Mr. KAN Chi-ho, BBS, MH Ms KWOK Sau-ying Mr. LAI Wing-ho, Joe Mr. LEE Tat-yan, MH Mr. MOK Chung-fai, Rex, MH Mr. MOK Kin-wing Mr. MOK Ying-fan Mr. SO Sik-kin Ms TAM Heung-man Ms TAM Mei-po Mr. TING Chi-wai, Roy Mr. WONG Kam-chi, MH, JP Mr. WONG Kit-hin Mr. WONG Kwok-tung Mr. WONG Kwok-yan Mr. WONG Yat-yuk Hon. WU Chi-wai, MH Mr. Yuen Kwok-keung, Stephen [9](1a)20130314-4_DC[M8](8.1.13)-e 1 Absent with Apologies: Mr. SHUM Wan-wa In attendance: Mr. TAO Kei-hung Deputy Project Manager/Major Works HyD ) Re: Item Mr. LAM Man-san Senior Engineer/Major Works HyD ) III(i) Ms Carmen CHU Associated Director Joint Venture of Arup and ) Mott MacDonald ) Mr. WONG Ho-lun Engineer Joint Venture of Arup and ) Mott MacDonald ) Mr. CHENG Pui-kan Assistant Planner Joint Venture of Arup and ) Mott MacDonald; and ) Planarch Consultant Limited ) Mr. CHAN Chun-fung, Michael Assistant Director of Planning/Metro PlanD ) Re: Item Mr. SIU Yee-lin, Richard Senior Town Planner/Kowloon 4 PlanD ) III(ii) Ms CHAN Hoi-yan, Rebecca Political Assistant FHB ) Re.: Item Mr. LEE Wing-ka, Patrick Assistant Secretary (Health)4 FHB ) III(iii) Dr. WAT Ming-sun, Nelson Cluster Chief Executive HA ) (Kowloon West Cluster) (Ag.) ) Mr. CHAN Chung-yun, Stephen Senior Town Planner/Kowloon 3 PlanD ) Re.: Item ) III(iv) Mr. SHIU Wai-chuen, William, JP District Officer (Wong Tai Sin) WTSDO Mr. CHOW Oi-wang, Toby District Commander (Wong Tai Sin) HKPF Ms Lily NG District Social Welfare Officer SWD (Wong Tai Sin/Sai Kung) Mrs. SUNG CHEUNG Mun-chi Chief Housing Manager (Wong Tai HD Sin, Tsing Yi, Tsuen Wan and Islands) Mr. LO Kam-yan, Anthony Chief Engineer CEDD Mr. AU Siu-fung, Kelvin Senior Transport Officer/Wong Tai Sin TD Mr. LAM Hok-hay, George District Leisure Manager (Wong Tai Sin) LCSD Mr. HO Ming-tong District Environmental Hygiene FEHD Superintendent (Wong Tai Sin) Miss MA Wan-yin, Vivian Assistant District Officer (Wong Tai Sin) WTSDO Mr. HO Chi-hang, Bruce Senior Executive Officer WTSDO (District Management) Mr. TING Tin-sang Senior Liaison Officer 1 WTSDO Mr. WU Wai-kwong, Wilson Senior Liaison Officer 2 (Ag.) WTSDO Ms TANG Wai-lan, Cecilia Executive Officer I (District Council) WTSDO Secretary: Miss LAM Wing-sze, Victoria Senior Executive Officer (District Council) WTSDO [9](1a)20130314-4_DC[M8](8.1.13)-e 2 Opening Remarks The Chairman welcomed all to the 8th meeting of the of Wong Tai Sin District Council (WTSDC), in particular Mr. Kelvin AU, Senior Transport Officer/Wong Tai Sin of the Transport Department (TD) who stood in for Mr. Mario CHOY, and Miss Vivian MA, Assistant District Officer (Wong Tai Sin) and Secretary (District Council) Miss Victoria LAM who attended WTSDC meeting the first time. 2. The Chairman told Members that a list of proposed discussion time for agenda items of the 8th meeting was tabled and Members raised no objection to it I. Confirmation of the Minutes of the 7th Meeting of the Wong Tai Sin District Council held on 6 November 2012 3. Mr. MOK Ying-fan proposed that paragraph 50 be amended as: “Mr. MOK Ying-fan added that Antiquities Advisory Board had classified Nga Tsin Wai Village as a Grade 2 Historic Building that required no preservation. He said the existing public toilet opened 24 hours a day and so the future one should follow.” 4. Minutes of the 7th meeting of the WTSDC held on 6 November 2012 were confirmed with the above amendment. II. Progress Report of the 7th Meeting of the Wong Tai Sin District Council (WTSDC Paper No. 1/2013) 5. Members noted the paper. III(i) Central Kowloon Route Phase 2 Public Engagement (WTSDC Paper No. 2/2013) 6. The Chairman welcomed Mr. TAO Kei-hung, Deputy Project Manager/Major Works and Mr. LAM Man-san, Senior Engineer of the Highways Department (HyD); Ms Carmen CHU, Associated Director and Mr. WONG Ho-lun, Engineer of the Joint Venture of Arup and Mott MacDonald; and Mr. CHENG Pui-kan, Assistant Planner of the Planarch Consultant Limited who were in attendance for this agenda item. [9](1a)20130314-4_DC[M8](8.1.13)-e 3 7. Mr. TAO Kei-hung thanked WTSDC for providing HyD and the consultants with an opportunity to send representatives to the meeting and introduce to Members the progress of the Central Kowloon Route (CKR) project. Planning work of the project had begun many years ago. HyD had started the initial design stage as early as 2007. A public engagement exercise had also been conducted, through which HyD had gathered valuable views from the general public and completed the initial design work in 2010. HyD had then started the detailed design stage for the project in 2011, followed by phase 2 of the public engagement exercise in December 2012 which focussed on detailed design of CKR as well as the implementation arrangements. HyD had prepared a “Phase 2 Public Engagement Digest” (the Digest), and forwarded it and the discussion paper on this agenda item to Members. He would play a short video clip on CKR, and then the consultants would introduce the detailed design and implementation arrangements for the CKR project. (Mr. WONG Yat-yuk, Ms TAM Heung-man and Mr. WONG Kwok-tung arrived at the meeting at 2:45 p.m.) 8. Ms Carmen CHU gave a Powerpoint presentation on the paper. Highlights were as follows: (i) Introduction The Proposed CKR was a 4.7 km long dual 3-lane truck road (with 3.9 km in tunnel) linking Yau Ma Tei Interchange on the west side entrance and the road network on Kai Tak Development Area (KTDA) on the east side entrance. (ii) Benefits There was serious traffic congestion along the existing major east-west major thoroughfares in Kowloon, including Lung Cheung Road, Prince Edward Road West, Boundary Street, Argyle Street, Waterloo Road, East Kowloon Corridor and Gascoigne Road Flyover. CKR, a new east-west corridor, would provide an alternative route for the traffic to bypass the congested road network. At present, the journey time between West Kowloon and KTDA was more than 30 minutes. With the commissioning of CKR, the journey time would be shortened to around five minutes via CKR. CKR would also connect with the highways in Central Kowloon, integrating the traffic network of Kowloon town centre. The concept was similar to the Central-Wanchai Bypass being built on the Island side. In addition, the upcoming Trunk Road T2 and [9](1a)20130314-4_DC[M8](8.1.13)-e 4 the existing Tseung Kwan O Tunnel would form Route 6 with the CKR. Not only would it complete the road network of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, but also link up districts in the New Territories. In addition, as CKR would mainly comprise vehicular tunnels, it would share the vehicular traffic load and improve the environment aboveground. It was estimated that CKR could reduce annual tailpipe carbon dioxide emission by about 20 000 tonnes, equivalent to the annual removal by approximately 860 000 newly planted trees. Also, CKR would cut annual tailpipe nitrogen oxide emission by about 18 tonnes, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption by about 6 000 households. Moreover, it would reduce annual tailpipe respirable suspended particulates (RSP) emission by about two tonnes, equivalent to the emission from the Cross Harbour Tunnel in Hung Hom for two months. (iii) Public Engagement Activities In Phase 1 Public Engagement Activities conducted between 2007 and 2009, more than 40 alignment options had been considered. Having consolidated the views collected, the consultants had proposed a feasible alignment and, on the basis of it, started working on the detailed design and implementation arrangements. Through the Phase 1 Public Engagement Activities, the need for CKR had been confirmed through focus group meetings, public forums, visits to District Councils (DCs) and the Yau Ma Tei Police Station, and planning competition. The public generally supported the proposed alignment and accepted the arrangement for reprovisioning of public facilities. The people were mostly concerned with the project’s impacts on traffic in their respective districts, and the temporary traffic arrangements. HyD and its consultants had reported to DCs and the Panel on Transport of the Legislative Council (LegCo) on the findings of Phase 1 Public Engagement Activities. (iv) Design of CKR Upon the completion of the two-year Phase 1 Public Engagement Activities, the consultants had incorporated the comments collected into the detailed design of CKR. As the public hoped that the alignment would only cause minimal impact on residences, the one proposed now would not involve resumption of any private lot, and the tunnelling works concerned would only be carried out at underground rock stratum. The CKR would end [9](1a)20130314-4_DC[M8](8.1.13)-e 5 at Yau Ma Tei Interchange and KTDA respectively.