The government may consider scrapping an almost 40-year-old policy that restricts development in Mid-Levels after the MTR's West Island Line opens in 2014. The move could bring bigger developments that increase housing density and make the area's traffic jams worse.
Removing the so-called Mid-Levels moratorium, introduced in 1972 to limit traffic flow to the hilly area - which nevertheless has become highly congested - would allow bigger blocks to be built on 28 sites coming up for redevelopment.
According to a document submitted by the Transport and Housing Bureau to the Central and Western District Council for discussion today, removing the moratorium would only add 250 flats to the 32,080 projected for the area by 2021.
This suggests the impact of the move on traffic flows would be limited. Officials predict that morning peak-hour traffic will grow by 11 per cent by 2021 with the projected home construction, and by 11.74 per cent if the moratorium is lifted.
But a district councillor and a lawmaker believe its assumption that the number of flats in the area will only grow by 2,080 - or 7 per cent - in the next 11 years is unrealistic. The area has 30,000 flats now.
Officials expect the opening of the MTR line to take one in 12 vehicles off the roads around Sai Ying Pun, the University of Hong Kong and Kennedy Town. They also point to road improvement works and plans to build two more escalators - one connecting East Conduit Road to the Sheung Wan MTR station via Seymour Road and Ladder Street, the other between West Conduit Road and the new Sai Ying Pun MTR station via Lyttelton and Bonham roads.
Like the existing Mid-Levels escalator, they would carry people downhill in the morning and uphill the rest of the day. Officials believe the escalators would encourage people who now drive to work to take the escalators.