North Island line

Last updated

North Island line
北港島綫
Overview
Owner MTR Corporation
Locale Districts: Central and Western, Wan Chai, Eastern
Termini
Stations4
Service
System MTR
Operator(s) MTR Corporation
Technical
Track gauge 1,432 mm (4 ft 8+38 in)
Route map

Contents

Colour legend
BSicon extSTRq orange.svg
BSicon extBHFq orange.svg
BSicon extSTRq orange.svg
BSicon extSTRq orange.svg
BSicon extSTRq orange.svg
New tracks (Tung Chung line)
BSicon extSTRq purple.svg
BSicon extBHFq purple.svg
BSicon extSTRq purple.svg
BSicon extSTRq purple.svg
BSicon extSTRq purple.svg
New tracks (Tseung Kwan O line)


Interchange
Swap
Names of two schemes
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BSicon numN090.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
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BSicon utCONTg.svg
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BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon utCONTg.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon BLf+l.svg
BSicon utKBHFe.svg
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon extKSTRa orange.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon utKBHFe.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon BLf+l.svg
BSicon utKBHFe.svg
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon extKSTRa orange.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon utKBHFe.svg
Hong Kong
BSicon HUBaq.svg
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BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon utKBHFa.svg
BSicon extSTR orange.svg
BSicon HUBaq.svg
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BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon utKBHFa.svg
BSicon extSTR orange.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
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BSicon HUBa.svg
BSicon extKBHFe orange.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon extBHF orange.svg
Tamar
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon HUBe.svg
BSicon extKBHFa purple.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon extSTR orange.svg
Left: as termini of two lines
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon extSTR purple.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon extSTR orange.svg
Right: as TCL station
BSicon HUBrg-R.svg
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BSicon extSTR purple.svg
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BSicon extSTR orange.svg
BSicon MASKll.svg
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BSicon HUB-R.svg
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BSicon extSTR purple.svg
BSicon MASKll.svg
BSicon ulCONTg@Gq.svg
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BSicon HUB-R.svg
BSicon utKRZt.svg
BSicon ulBHF~R.svg
BSicon HUB-L.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon extSTR orange.svg
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BSicon HUBlf-R.svg
BSicon utSTR.svg
BSicon lBHF~R.svg
BSicon HUBrf-L.svg
BSicon umtKRZt.svg
BSicon xmtKRZt purple+.svg
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BSicon xmtKRZt orange+.svg
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BSicon MASKrr.svg
BSicon ulCONTf@Fq.svg
BSicon mtKRZt.svg
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BSicon utLSTR.svg
BSicon utSTRl.svg
BSicon uxmtKRZt orange+.svg
BSicon MASKrr.svg
BSicon ulCONTf@Fq.svg
BSicon mtKRZt.svg
BSicon extXBHF-L purple.svg
BSicon tXBHF-R.svg
BSicon extXBHF-L orange.svg
BSicon tXBHF-R.svg
Exhibition Centre
BSicon extSTRc2 purple.svg
BSicon extSTR3 purple.svg
BSicon tCONTf.svg
BSicon extSTRc2 orange.svg
BSicon extSTR3 orange.svg
BSicon tCONTf.svg
BSicon extSTR+1 purple.svg
BSicon extSTRc4 purple.svg
BSicon extSTR+1 orange.svg
BSicon extSTRc4 orange.svg
BSicon MFADEg.svg
BSicon utLSTR.svg
BSicon extBHF purple.svg
BSicon MFADEg.svg
BSicon utLSTR.svg
BSicon extBHF orange.svg
Causeway Bay North
BSicon utBHF.svg
BSicon extSTR purple.svg
BSicon utBHF.svg
BSicon extSTR orange.svg
Tin Hau
BSicon utSTR2.svg
BSicon xmtSTR3ut purple+.svg
BSicon uxmtABZg2 purple+.svg
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Left: joins TKL
BSicon xmtSTR+1ut purple+.svg
BSicon utSTR+4.svg
BSicon utSTRc1.svg
BSicon extSTR purple.svg
BSicon uxmtABZg+4 orange+.svg
Right: divides Island line
BSicon extSTR purple.svg
BSicon utBHF.svg
BSicon extSTR purple.svg
BSicon utBHF.svg
Fortress Hill
BSicon utKXBHFa-L.svg
BSicon extKSTRe purple.svg
BSicon utXBHF-R.svg
BSicon utKXBHFa-L.svg
BSicon extKSTRe purple.svg
BSicon utXBHF-R.svg
North Point
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BSicon utTBHFt.svg
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Quarry Bay
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The North Island line is a shelved proposal to provide rapid transit service for the area between the existing MTR Island line and the northern coast of Hong Kong Island in order to relieve the congested Island line.

Originally, according to the document "Rail Projects Under Planning 2000" released by the Highways Department, [1] the current Tung Chung line would be extended from Hong Kong terminus eastward and two new stations, Tamar station and Exhibition Centre station are proposed on the extension. The new route would then connect and continue on the Island line from Fortress Hill station to Chai Wan terminus. The Tseung Kwan O line will have newly constructed tunnels connected from its North Point terminus to Fortress Hill station and continue on the remaining western half of the Island line.

In 2013, the Highways Department released a second option for the North Island line scheme, also known as the "interchange scheme" because it will only extend the Tung Chung line and the Tseung Kwan O line to meet at Tamar station where it will act as an interchange station for the two lines without dividing the Island line. The original scheme is known as the "swap scheme" for distinction.

2000 proposal

The extension of the Tung Chung line formed part of the third phase of land reclamation in Victoria Harbour on Hong Kong Island's northern coast. Due to environmental and utilization concerns, the MTR Corporation did not set a commencement date. The proposed Sha Tin to Central Link and the merger of MTRC and KCRC also was a consideration. For these reasons, in 2003 the Hong Kong Government postponed the project indefinitely.

However, the MTRC included the Sha Tin to Central Link and the North Island line details in the diagrams of the latest schemes of the West Island line and South Island line, released in 2008. Those diagrams have excluded the now cancelled Central South station and Racecourse Station in Happy Valley. [2]

2013 proposal

On 21 February 2013, the Highways Department launched stage two of public consultation of Our Future Railway, and proposed two schemes for the North Island line. [3] In addition to a "Swap" scheme which was similar to previous proposals, the consultation documents also included a second "Interchange" scheme.

"Swap" scheme

The existing Tung Chung line would be extended along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island, with Tamar , Exhibition Centre , Causeway Bay North and Fortress Hill stations along the route. The extension would then connect eastwards to the existing Island line at Fortress Hill station, and continue on the remaining Island line section to Chai Wan station.

Concurrently, the Tseung Kwan O line would extend from its current westbound terminus at North Point station to the existing Island line at Fortress Hill station, and continue on the remaining Island line to Kennedy Town station.

This scheme would greatly increase the number of stations reached directly by the Tung Chung line and the Tseung Kwan O line on Hong Kong Island, but east–west directional traffic along the existing Island line would be interrupted and require an interchange. In addition, the maximum train frequency between Fortress Hill and Chai Wan stations, which would be served by the Tung Chung line, would have to reduce by 8 trains per hour because the service frequency of the Tung Chung line is restricted by the capacity of the Tsing Ma Bridge. The signalling system and rolling stock used on both lines are also different, so the “swap” scheme was not considered in the plan.

Original North Island line route scheme, namely the swap scheme,
including the proposed Sha Tin to Central Link, West Island line and South Island line North Island Line proposal swap.svg
Original North Island line route scheme, namely the swap scheme,
including the proposed Sha Tin to Central Link, West Island line and South Island line

"Interchange" scheme

Both the existing Tung Chung line and Tseung Kwan O line would be extended along the northern coast of Hong Kong Island. Three stations, namely Tamar, Exhibition Centre and Causeway Bay North, would be constructed along the extensions, and either Tamar or Causeway Bay North station would be chosen as an interchange between the two lines.

This scheme would preserve the existing Island line in its current form and would not change the current commuting pattern between the Central, Western and Eastern Districts. However, as the Tung Chung and Tseung Kwan O lines would not be run on the Island line, passengers would still need to interchange as they currently do. Also, this arrangement would be less effective than the "Swap" scheme in relieving congestion, since although the number of stations and the area served has increased, the link with the current Island line would still be the same, unlike the "Swap" scheme.

North Island line interchange scheme North Island Line proposal interchange.svg
North Island line interchange scheme

2014 plan

According to the "Railway Development Strategy 2014" document, the government opted for the interchange scheme because its construction cost and difficulties are lower and it does not interfere with the commuting patterns of current Island line users. The cost is estimated to be HK$20 billion in 2013 prices. [4] Planning and construction for the North Island Line was later postponed to 2022 with the opening of East Rail Line to Admiralty; and there is enough capacity for Island Line.

References

  1. North Hong Kong Island Line - Hong Kong Highways Department, Hong Kong Government
  2. West Island Line & South Island Line (East) introduction - MTR Corporate Site
  3. Our Future Railway Archived 11 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Railway Development Strategy 2014" (PDF). Transport and Housing Bureau. September 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2018.