6

R a i l w a y D e v e l o p m e n t

What STIC doesNon-government construction works

normally have to seek approval under BuildingsOrdinance, but there are exemptions for someof the railway works carried out by the tworailway corporations in Hong Kong. Exemptionhave been granted by the Director of Buildingsfor station improvement works of existingMTRC lines and some new railways extensionprojects. In lieu of the building submission, therailway corporations submit their designproposals to the Station and TransportIntegration Committee (STIC) for vetting andapproval. The purpose is to speed up theconsultation and approval process by creating aforum for representatives from relevantgovernment department to meet and discussthe proposals.

As its name implies, the main concerns ofSTIC are on the design of station layout,external connections and interchange facilities.Taking into consideration of the predictedpassenger flow to and from stations, STICexamines and agrees on the number andlocations of entrances. It also looks into varioustransport facilities close to the proposedstations, and effect of the entrances on theexisting roads, building and amenity areas. Itaims to ensure that the design will providepassengers with convenient and effectivetransport services.

RDO chairs the STIC meetings andcoordinates with other governmentdepartments. Other STIC members includerepresentatives from BD, FSD, TD, Regional

offices of HyD, HKPF, Lands D, Plan D, TDD andHAD, with ad-hoc representation from otherrelevant departments such as FEHD and LCSD.

Apart from STIC submissions related tonew railway extension projects, there are alsomany proposed improvements to existing MTRstations. To take an example at the WanchaiStation, the footbridge at Hennessy Road isdirectly connected to the underground stationconcourse by escalators and passenger lift.Another similar example is the footbridgesystem along Mong Kok Road and Sai Yee Streetwhich is under construction. At its completion,pedestrians can walk along the footbridge fromthe Grand Century Place (KCRC MongkokStation) to a new entrance B3 of the MTRMongkok Station at Fife Street. These projectswere considered and endorsed by STIC. Nexttime when you plan for a footbridge or subwaywith connection to a railway station, don’tforget to approach STIC!

Other station improvement projectsinclude the Station Lift Programme and theProposed Refurbishment of Station Entrances.Under the Station Lift Programme, tenadditional lifts within stations are beinginstalled to connect concourse level with trainplatforms, and three external lifts to connectthe concourse to street levels. The external liftat North Point is near completion while thework is still in progress for the one at CausewayBay. The proposed external lift at Mongkok willcommence construction soon. We can envisagethat the use of MTR lines by the disabledperson will be greatly encouraged withintroduction of these lifts. Apart from the lifts,Proposed Refurbishment of Station Entrancesalong the Island Line and Tsuen Wan Line arebeing considered by the STIC. In the near future,you will see those beautiful entrances when youtake the MTR.

Apart from seeking approval from theSTIC, railways corporations also have to consultthe Safety and Security Coordination Committee(SSCC) on the fire and building regulations andTrackside Fire Safety Committee (TFSC) onsafety arrangement of railway tracks betweenstations. These committees are chaired by theRailway Inspectorate of the Transport Bureau.

K L WONGRailway Development Office

Photomontage of External Lift at Causeway Bay