The Chief Executive in Council has given approval for the Government to invite the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) to proceed with the detailed planning and design of the Tuen Mun South (TMS) Extension project.
A spokesman for the Transport and Housing Bureau said today (May 29) that the TMS Extension is one of the seven recommended railway schemes in the Railway Development Strategy 2014 (RDS-2014). It will extend the West Rail Line from Tuen Mun Station southwards by about 2.4 kilometres. In addition to a new TMS Station to be provided near Tuen Mun Ferry Pier as envisaged in RDS-2014, there will also be an intermediate station in Tuen Mun Area 16 (A16) to unlock the development potential of the area.
The TMS Extension largely runs along the Tuen Mun River and will improve railway access to the community south of the current Tuen Mun town centre (near Wu King Estate, Siu Hei Court and Yuet Wu Villa) and connectivity to Tuen Mun Ferry Pier. The area near Tuen Mun Ferry Pier is one of the major residential areas in the district, which has approximately 60 000 residents within the 500-metre catchment of the proposed TMS Station, while there are about 49 000 residents living within the 500-metre catchment area around the proposed A16 Station.
The spokesman said, "The TMS Extension with the A16 Station will offer an alternative commuting choice to the residents in the vicinity and divert more commuters to rail-based transport, which may help relieve the congestion of the existing roads. Furthermore, the provision of the proposed A16 Station is essential for unleashing the potential for residential development at the A16 site and helps increase the housing supply."
"It is estimated that the TMS Extension will save the public a cumulative total of about 300 million hours of commuting time over 50 years of operation. The economic benefits, including the said time saving, of the TMS Extension are estimated to be about $28 billion in 2015 prices," the spokesman added.
The construction of the A16 Station and the related residential development will necessitate the reprovisioning of the Tuen Mun Swimming Pool as well as the Tuen Mun Community Green Station. For the Tuen Mun Swimming Pool, a potential site for off-site reprovisioning has been identified within the existing Tuen Mun Golf Centre, subject to a technical feasibility study. A suitable location will also be identified for reprovisioning the Tuen Mun Community Green Station.
The Government has invited the MTRCL to proceed with the detailed planning and design of the TMS Extension project, and will further negotiate with the MTRCL on the funding arrangement of the project.
It is expected that construction of the TMS Extension project may commence in 2023 for completion in 2030.
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