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Highways Department's answer to FSK's petition. Click here.

Sai Kung is one of a handful of places in Hong Kong where residents and visitors can still experience a relaxed rural atmosphere. The village, garden centres, coastal and agricultural areas which border the country park provide a contrast to much of the rest of Hong Kong and the area is in fact promoted as The Garden of Hong Kong. These characteristics exist due to low density development, which survives because the existing transport infrastructure limits growth.

However Highways Department has plans to build a four lane highway through Sai Kung. These were drawn up some 10 – 12 years ago, and at the time it was envisioned that a four lane highway would run from Clearwater Bay Road along the line of the existing road (Hiram’s Highway) through Sai Kung and, via the Sai Sha Road to Ma On Shan. It is well documented that bigger roads attract more traffic. The only logical reason for this expansion of the existing roads in the area is therefore to allow for an increase in population, and the projected increase is only possible if high density development is allowed.

This project has been divided into 2 stages: Stage 1 from Clear Water Bay Rd. to Pak Wai (after Marina Cove) and Stage 2 from Pak Wai to Sha Ha (just past the police station in Sai Kung). The first phases of Stage 1, from the Clearwater Bay Road to the roundabout at Nam Pin Wai, were completed some time ago, and Highways Department has definite plans for the next phases of Stage 1, from the roundabout to Pak Wai, and these include a centrally divided four lane highway, a two way two lane road into Ho Chung Village, additional traffic light, a footbridge over the road at Nam Pin Wai, and another roundabout at Pak Wai.

However public opposition has caused Highways Dept. to reconsider the plans for Stage 2. Strong opposition to the original concept has been expressed by virtually all sectors of the community, and they have now undertaken to develop alternative schemes. But Stage 1 is still going ahead with a proposed 4 lane highway. There appears to be no logic for building a four lane highway to a roundabout, from which the only exit is a two lane rural road, so the inference is that this is development by stealth.

Applications for high density development (the proposed Sha Ha development) have been rejected in the past because the Town Planning Board recognised that the existing transport infrastructure would not support the additional numbers. However once the road is approved the developers will again apply for approval for the development, the previous grounds of objection will no longer exist, construction will start, and a precedent will have been set for high rise, high density development in Sai Kung, which will then be developed in the same way as other New Territories towns, like Tseung Kwan O and Ma On Shan.

We believe that high density development will benefit only the developers. Local businesses will lose out as they will be unable to compete with branded businesses and to pay for rent in new shopping centres. Visitors looking for tranquillity, character and something special will find themselves in another faceless concrete town, and residents who enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, the clean air and the views and greenery around them will instead sit in a traffic jam every day for as long as the road construction lasts, knowing that once it is finished they will probably have to move out in order to find another “Garden”.

• The widening of Hiram’s Highway was planned over 10 years ago, Parts 1, 2 and 3 of Stage 1 have already been completed (from Clear Water Bay Rd. to Nam Pin Wai roundabout).

• Population and projected population figures for the District (including East Hang Hau) – given as 60,000 in the future.

• Perceived deficiencies in the present configuration of Hiram’s Highway between Marina Cove and Sai Kung Town Centre – including vertical and horizontal sight lines and lack of pedestrian crossing facilities.

• The results of a traffic survey conducted in December 2007 indicate that:
• The road is “saturated”  - hourly throughput of vehicles is over 2000, and this is projected to rise by ca. 20%
• There are traffic jams caused by the traffic lights at Ho Chung.

Stage 1

• Additional lane by Hiram’s Villas.

• U-turn by Hiram’s Villas.

• Footbridge by Nam Pin Wai roundabout.

• Widening the road to 4 lanes from roundabout to Pak Wai.

• Realignment of the bridge and the road to the school.

• Building a new road from Ho Chung Rd. (behind the TVB studios) to loop back to Hiram’s Highway coming out by Marina Cove.

• Extra set of traffic lights by Marina Cove.

• Additional pedestrian crossings by Marina Cove.

• Roundabout by Pak Wai.

• Resumption of private and Government land on both sides of the road.

• Felling of mature trees.

Stage 2

• No designs have been made available to the public as for now. The original plan was a 4 lane highway.

• Following the public consultation carried out in February 2008 Highways Dept. confirmed that they would take into consideration public’s comments (generally opposing a 4 lane highway).

• Sai Kung will lose its character and reputation as “the Garden of Hong Kong” if it has a highway running through it.

• The widening was planned over 10 years ago (to support development plans for the District). Hong Kong’s needs and concerns have changed over the last 10 years and a review of development plans should be carried out.

• Constuction of the road will affect a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

• Sai Kung is one of the oldest inhabited areas in the New Territories, many of its heritage sites will be affected (if they survive some of them will be nose to nose with the Highway).

• Population figures quoted to justify the road don’t make sense. Highways Dept. has said that the widening is necessary to accommodate a population increase in Tseung Kwan O. These would be visitors to Sai Kung and should be encouraged to use public transport.

• Improvements to the road will not get rid of bottlenecks, improve flow or reduce travelling times. Additional traffic lights and a central divide will cause tailbacks, prevent vehicles tuning off close to their ultimate destination and contribute to congestion.

• Do not widen the road, it is not necessary, it won’t solve any problems, it will create them and it will destroy Sai Kung.

• Improve the road by all means but only in the sections where improvement is really needed.

• Provide lay-bys for minibuses (prohibiting any other unauthorised stops).

• Provide a cycleway (if most visitors are coming from Tseung Kwan O the cycleway should come from Hang Hau).

• Provide Park and ride facilities (at least from Ho Chung) and advertise them.

• Consider a loop road from Nam Pin Wai roundabout to Ho Chung to remove the traffic light at Ho Chung.