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One way to make new bridge pay
I refer to the report on the proposed increase of licences for mainland vehicles to visit Hong Kong by 50 per day ('New entry plan for mainland cars', February 9). This is a trial to boost future traffic on the proposed bridge to  Zhuhai and Macau.  
As it appears we're going to get that ill-conceived bridge no matter what, we'd better make the best of it.
 An increase of 50 vehicles a day will not do much to make the new bridge economical - even if all of them actually use it, and not other border crossings.
 To get enough toll income, we need thousands of vehicles a day on that bridge, but that will obviously cause big problems if all those vehicles hit the streets of Kowloon and Central. 
Instead, I suggest opening up the new bridge to anyone with a proper driver's licence (to ensure road safety), but without a quota. Then build a large parking garage above Sunny Bay MTR Station and have them travel by MTR from there. 
These vehicles, of course, would not be allowed further into Hong Kong, or to enter Tung Chung  or other parts of Lantau, without a special licence. The existing Lantau Link Toll Plaza  could easily double as a checkpoint to stop such drivers from going to the city. 
Sunny Bay MTR station could also act as a terminus for cross-border buses running to Macau and Zhuhai. 
Sunny Bay MTR Station would be an ideal place to build such a park-and-ride interchange. There's plenty of space there, with no residents to complain that such a facility would be ugly, smelly or lower their property values, and it is right next to the existing highway, giving easy access and allowing vehicles to bypass areas like Tung Chung and the airport. 
The North Lantau Highway  should have enough capacity to handle this extra traffic, as is the case for the Tung Chung line, which runs far less frequently than any other MTR line. It would be a multi-win for our city: more toll income for the bridge, giving us at least a fighting chance to get that massive investment back; more rich mainland visitors to boost our local economy; and no worries about safety and congestion issues. 
Wouter van Marle, Tai Po
HK comes up short on office space
Commercial rent in Hong Kong leads the world at US$244 per square foot ('Beijing office rents more expensive than New York', February 7). 
This will lead to an inflationary spiral in commercial rents, which will not benefit the city's regional competitiveness. 
 Apart from wanting to double their pay for poor performance and dwindling public support, have our legislators ever raised the question of what the administration is going to do to ease the acute shortage of grade A office buildings?
Sam Chow, Central
Don't waste biofuel opportunity
We refer to the letter by Cathay Pacific's biofuel manager, Jeff Ovens ('Sustainability is top priority for Cathay when looking at biofuel options', February 2). 
It is interesting that he cites municipal waste - household, industrial, organic and used cooking oil - as all being suitable for conversion to jet fuel.
We support Cathay Pacific in their sustainability policy and  innovative approach and see a golden opportunity for the Hong Kong government to take the lead in transforming a waste problem into a business model.
 The Living Islands Movement believes that Hong Kong deserves a rethink of the government's strategy for waste management, which consists of dumping it into landfills and, when full, building one of the biggest incinerators in the world to burn our waste. 
Such incinerators are old technology; more modern alternative technologies, located closer to the sources of the waste, should be considered. These do not emit poisonous dioxins, there is no toxic ash residue to be disposed of and a by-product could be jet fuel.
We urge the government not to repeat the mistakes made by Singapore, Tokyo and Beijing. A complete rethink, including a citywide reduce, reuse, recycle initiative and smarter technological solutions will result in a sustainable and healthier future for Hong Kong. 
Louise Preston, Living Islands Movement
Dim view of city's bright night lights
Hong Kong is suffering from different kinds of worsening pollution, such as noise, air and even light pollution. 
Noise and air pollution are tightly regulated; there are regulations that put curfews on construction, for example, allowing residents to have enough time to rest properly. 
But, so far, there has been no legislation covering light pollution. 
The government is not considering those residents  annoyed by the lights, such as people  who have to draw their curtains all night to block out bright advertising signage on their residential buildings. Sometimes the light is so bright that it can even penetrate the curtain. Under those conditions, sound sleep is  impossible.
 It is true that the lights are one of the attractive features of Hong Kong and tourists admire the night scene  on both sides of Victoria Harbour. However, it is generated at a huge social cost. 
Rather than just issuing guidelines, the government could regulate lighting. 
For instance, the government could force billboard owners to dim lights or even turn them off after a set time every night.
W.H. Chan, Kwun Tong
Time ripe for 'Greater China' zone
Taiwan's president, Ma Ying-jeou, who was re-elected for a second term, has named Sean Chen, a highly respected financial expert, as Taiwan's new  premier. 
 He has also named Professor Lung Ying-tai, well known in Hong Kong cultural circles, as the new culture minister. 
These two significant cabinet appointments should augur well for the further development of the economic and cultural relations between Hong Kong and Taiwan.
 In his February 1 budget speech, our financial secretary announced that the Economic and Cultural Co-operation and Promotion Council offices in Hong Kong and Taiwan were actively following up on agreed priority co-operation areas, including medical and health co-operation. These measures will benefit the aviation, freight and tourism industries of both places.
 In addition, the opening of a HKSAR office in Taiwan two months ago should provide the opportunity for further co-operation on economic, financial, cultural and other fronts.
 With the increased pace of globalisation, coupled with China joining the World Trade Organisation a decade ago, it would be timely to revive the concept of a Greater China Economic Zone in stages within the next 10 to 20 years.
 In this regard, a sustainable economic and cultural relationship between Hong Kong and Taiwan would be an important initiative towards achieving such a historic realisation.
 Hilton Cheong-leen, Hong Kong Civic Association
Shades of confusion in colour map
While I appreciate that the MTR destination names may initially be confusing for overseas visitors such as the student from Malaysia ('Use colours, not names, for MTR', February 10), falling back on colour designations is not the answer for those among us who are colour-blind.
After more than four years in Hong Kong, I still cannot - and never will - differentiate between the Tung Chung Line  and the Kwun Tong  Line, funnily enough, the very lines that the student had trouble with. 
The same for the Ma On Shan  and the Tsuen Wan lines. Having just looked at the MTR map, are these lines actually the same  colour? 
Even those where the difference is clearer (Tuen Mun versus Island), I still could not tell you with any confidence what colour they actually are.
So, to use the old adage, if it ain't broke, no need to consider fixing it.
Milo Shen, Tai Kok Tsui



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