Officials said it would take around 10 minutes to travel from Kai Tak MTR Station to the cruise terminal, under a planned green elevated transit system for the neighbourhood.

The transit system - which would be the first of its kind in Hong Kong - had been touted for years, and the latest proposals came following the Chief Executive's policy address last year.

The Civil Engineering and Development Department proposed that there should be five stops in total, including one near the Kai Tak Sports Park that houses a 50,000-seater stadium.

In documents submitted to the Kowloon City District Council, officials said they had considered connecting the system to other parts of East Kowloon, but they no longer think that's a good option.

"Building the system in developed areas of East Kowloon would be very costly in terms of construction and operating costs, because of the dense developments nearby giving rise to technical constraints," the department said.

Officials added that in general, facilities such as overhead cables are not necessary, and so relevant power support systems are relatively simple and cost efficient.

Officials plan to seek letters of intent from potential suppliers and operators in the second half of the year, while trying to draw up plans on financial arrangements, operating requirements and a regulatory framework.

They said they'll strive to finish building the system as early as possible by launching a tendering exercise for the project in 2026, with a view to approving construction contracts in the following year.

Kowloon East lawmaker Bill Tang welcomed the policy paper, but said it would be an improvement if the government considers extending the route to Choi Hung at one end, and through the Kwun Tong harbourfront to Yau Tong on the other.

He told reporters this would maximise the line's capacity and help develop the Kwun Tong business district.

"Because the mass transit system, if it connects to the MTR system [on both sides], it would actually enhance the capacity of the system. That would make the project more cost efficient," Tang said.

The Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker said he understands the government's point about cost constraints for extending the transit system to other parts of East Kowloon.

But he noted some of the limitations may change, as the planned redevelopment of Choi Hung Estate may free up some space, and planned changes to harbourfront protection laws may allow for transport infrastructure near the shoreline.
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Last updated: 2024-03-12 HKT 16:48