Government HQ at Tamar will worsen traffic

In his column 'Planning the big move' (September 10), Albert Cheng King-hon asks that the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) 'shut up' on opposing the moving of the main government offices to Tamar.

I will use the quote from Mao Zedong that Mr Cheng used: 'Those who have not done their research are not entitled to speak.' Mr Cheng is well advised to do his homework before he again blindly supports this scheme.

The scheme would drive up peak-time traffic in the narrowest part of the island's north shore. Despite Mr Cheng's claim to the contrary, the Central-Wan Chai bypass will not resolve this. It is designed as a trunk road for through-traffic to bypass Tamar underground. The traffic from the planned developments in Central and Wan Chai, including the government offices (but excluding Lower Albert Road and Central Market), will require significant new surface road capacity.

Let's ignore how these high-intensity developments in Central and Wan Chai will impair precious harbourfront land. Instead, consider that the Transport Department's studies show that even if we build to its massive specifications, we will reach capacity in 2016. So, by adding 9 million sq ft today, we create an overriding public need for new roads and reclamation in the future.

We should look for sustainable alternative uses for Tamar. Given its location at the narrow point of Hong Kong's traffic funnel and as the link between the Wan Chai and Central cultural and public facilities, Tamar would be better suited to arts, culture and leisure facilities, from the standpoint of traffic flows. And this makes commercial sense. The 2030 study shows that tourist arrivals will increase from 20 million last year to about 70 million in 2030. We need our harbourfront designed so that we have the capacity to give them a good time.