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SCMP Reporter

Q Should the government press ahead with its super-jail plan?

I'm a four-year resident of Discovery Bay, Lantau. I overlook Hei Ling Chau and was planning on buying the property I live in although I'm not considering this anymore. I also sail and wakeboard frequently in this area.

Last Sunday we had a family day with more than 40 families making the trip across to the secluded beach of Sunshine Island.

The reclamation, the bridge and the prison will jeopardise the whole lifestyle that myself, my friends and fellow Lantau residents enjoy.

Here are some questions that don't seem to have been answered:

Why is this a suitable place for a giant prison, given the unnecessary reclamation, destruction of conservation and recreational areas, and impact on wildlife and residents?

Where will the waste products and raw sewage go - into the surrounding water?

What other locations have been suggested and what are the problems with them?

What are the risks of having a super-prison in this area and how will it affect the future residential development of Lantau in terms of the safety, lifestyle and environment of people planning to live in Lantau?

I am concerned!

Hamish McNicol, Lantau

Regardless of the debatable merits of putting  all lawbreakers in one centre, why is a land link considered so vital? For much less than the price of the bridge, fast ferries could be customised to carry prisoners, staff and supplies to Hei Ling Chau.

This alternative must be both faster and more secure than the route from Mui Wo across to Tung Chung and then into the metropolitan area.

Without the bridge and resultant traffic on Lantau's roadways, I'm sure many protesters would be satisfied. I seem to recall another famous high-security prison, Alcatraz, gained its formidable reputation because it was an island.

Peter Mallen, Pokfulam

The proposed super-prison will give thousands of tourists a negative impression of Hong Kong. Nearby Disneyland is about to commence operations. The  plans include promoting  Lantau as a tourist destination, so whatever the officials say, this place is not the right place.

Kumar David, Hunghom

The greens fought vigorously against the airport development at Chek Lap Kok because it threatened the existence of the small Romer's tree frog. The frog was relocated and still thrives. The airport was built and is Hong Kong's showcase to the world.

We need the super-prison urgently to overcome severe overcrowding in existing facilities. Relocate the Bogadek's burrowing lizard and get on with the job!

Name and address supplied

Q How do you rate the plans for Wedding Card St?

It's a total farce.  If I were one of the winners of the Urban Renewal Authority competition I would feel shamelessly cheated and insulted beyond description, short of using four-letter words, that is.

It reminds me of the comedy film Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines,  which I saw many years ago, in which Ishihara Yujiro,  ,  playing the role of an early 20th century Japanese industrialist, is toying with miniatures of planes designed by pioneers from various western countries and, in front of his subordinates, suddenly tears off bits from each of them to cobble together a 'Japanese' entry.

I never thought someone in a responsible position in the Hong Kong of the 21st century would be so backward in thinking and would have stooped so low. It is tasteless, uncultured, illiterate, dishonest, ridiculous and unnecessary.

Conservation ideology aside, I can live with any of the five winning entries, but I think Peter Cookson Smith  has submitted by far the most sensible and enlightened option. Not surprisingly, the URA   has not seen fit to give it recognition.

John P.L. Wong, registered architect, Pokfulam

Q Should the proposed bus terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui be redesigned?

If the arguments in  your editorial on Saturday entitled 'Consumers deserve greater transport choice' is accepted and an additional railway network is built on Hong Kong Island, do you honestly believe there will be fewer  buses and less congestion on our roads? In fact, the bus population has grown with competition and the government is under immense pressure to reclaim more of our beautiful harbour to appease the ever-growing strain of traffic.

How can we trust them? Now they are bringing back the KCRC to the already overcrowded TST location, which the government is trying to propagate as a tourist destination.

Transport officials must be made accountable for their past misconceptions and asked to correct their strategies before we allow further railway extensions.

Nalini Daswani, Tsim Sha Tsui

Q Does Hong Kong need the South and West Island MTR lines?

So we should not build an MTR line to serve the people because it will put 3,000 people out of work.

Oh dear! If this is the basis of some unspoken policy, we should bring back the rickshaw men who were put out of work by the buses; throw away all the computers and bring back the people who used their quill pens.

Do people not understand that the painful impact of change can be managed for everyone to eventually benefit? We have lost some good things from the past but gained others. Even more astonishing is that the government is dithering although it says it has a pro-rail policy. They are like rabbits on the road: frozen in the headlights of a bus!

Name and address supplied

The expansion of the MTR line will bring little success and create dozen of problems. I cannot see any reason for building it. It will indirectly make thousands of people lose their jobs. Citybus and New World First Bus Services, as well as minibuses and taxis, may have to lay off staff to avoid making a loss.

The price of the new lines will be higher than existing bus fares, with or without government subsidies. Not all residents are willing to pay more  to enjoy a faster journey. We cannot assume there will be sufficient  passengers using the lines. West Rail would be a good example to learn from: its high price has kept many potential customers away. No one wants new lines following in its steps.

The population on Hong Kong Island will be very stable in forthcoming years. There will not be an increase as large as in the new towns.

The last reason for my opposition  is that the construction will use taxpayers' money. The MTRC is an independent corporation, so it should bear its own budget. There is no reason for taxpayers to subsidise the building of new lines which will generate money for the MTRC.

Kawa Yeung, Yuen Long

On other matters ...

We refer to a letter from Pauline Bunce of Heng Fa Chuen, regarding a traffic accident on May 21 on Tai Tam Road, between a minibus and a New World First Bus vehicle.

We would like to clarify that the accident occurred because the minibus lost control at a bend and swerved into the New World vehicle, which was almost stationery as the bus captain saw the minibus coming at him. The minibus driver made a similar account to the police.

Our company is reviewing the matter another correspondent, Patrick Gilbert, brought to our attention. For now, we would like to reassure the public that safety is of prime importance to New World First Bus,  and all efforts will be made to ensure we operate mechanically reliable buses handled by drivers  with the proper driving attitude.

Christine Lau, public affairs manager, New World First Bus Services

I refer to a Talkback forum on May 25 relating to recent West Rail incidents.

The delay in announcing the West Rail incident on May 21 was due to an incorrect assessment on the extent of the service interruption. The corporation has reviewed the incident and will introduce new measures to track  train journey times. We will still abide by the pledge to make a public announcement about any  disruption  estimated to last more  than eight minutes.

Since December 15,  KCRC has enhanced its reporting mechanism under which the  Transport Department and the public are informed via the media of any service delay of eight minutes or more.

This new reporting mechanism has been working well since its inception.

When  there is a delay in  services, the public can get  updated  information on the internet.

Like all other new railway systems in the world, West Rail has experienced some initial teething problems  which were not encountered in the test  runs.

During the most recent incidents, while train speed had to be reduced at certain sections, a continuous train service was maintained and in no way was operational safety compromised.

We have embarked on a comprehensive check of all related equipment and facilities, and will implement ways to accelerate the recovery of services.

The KCRC's immediate task is to tackle the  accessibility, connectivity and ease with which passengers can connect to  West Rail. We have been taking steps to improve West Rail's connectivity by reorganising light rail routes and collaborating with other minibus operators to strengthen the feeder bus service. We are also holding talks with other transport operators for more interchange discounts involving bus routes in urban areas.

Railways are long-term investments and are bound to benefit people living in the community in the long run.

The Kowloon Southern link will definitely improve West Rail's connectivity when the  Tsim Sha Tsui link is completed.

Ida Leung, senior public affairs manager, KCRC



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