Northern Link (MTR)

Last updated

Northern Link
北環綫
Overview
Other name(s)NOL
Status
  • Phase 1: Under construction
  • Phase 2: Construction expected to begin 2025
Owner Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
Locale Districts: Yuen Long
Termini
Stations5
Service
System MTR
Operator(s) MTR Corporation
History
Planned opening
Technical
Line length26 km (16 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Route map

Contents

BSicon MFADEg.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon STR.svg
BSicon extSTR+l.svg
BSicon HUBa.svg
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BSicon extCONTfq.svg
Kwu Tung     
proposed extension
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BSicon tSTRa@fq.svg
BSicon xtKRZtu.svg
BSicon HUBe.svg
BSicon etBHFq.svg
BSicon MFADEfq.svg
BSicon tSTRq.svg
BSicon extCONT2.svg
BSicon extSTR+tc3.svg
proposed spur line to Huanggang Port
BSicon extSTRc1.svg
BSicon extABZg+4.svg
BSicon extBHF.svg
San Tin
BSicon extBHF.svg
Ngau Tam Mei
BSicon extBHF.svg
Au Tau
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BSicon hSTRq.svg
BSicon hSTR+r.svg
BSicon extSTR.svg
BSicon HUBaq.svg
BSicon hBHF.svg
BSicon HUBeq.svg
BSicon extBHF.svg
Kam Sheung Road     
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BSicon exKRW+l.svg
BSicon extKRWre.svg
BSicon DST.svg
Pat Heung Depot
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BSicon tSTRa@g.svg

Phase 1 consists of the construction and completion of Kwu Tung station that will initially serve the East Rail line after its opening, then later the Northern Link after the completion of Phase 2. It had been partially built by KCR Corporation during the construction of the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line. Construction of Kwu Tung station was approved by the government in 2022 is scheduled to commence in 2023 with completion due in 2027. [6] Construction started on September 29, 2023. [7]

The station was expected to cost HK$3.5 billion as of December 2015. [8] [9] As of July 2023, the estimated cost had risen to HK$5.9 billion. [10]

Phase 2

Phase 2 consists of the building of the 10.7 km main line from Kam Sheung Road station to Kwu Tung station. It also includes the construction of 3 new stations (Au Tau, Ngau Tam Mei and San Tin) along with the expansion of Kam Sheung Road station to accommodate the new tracks and platforms. Planning and designing began in 2021. Construction of the mainline is planned to begin in 2025 and be completed in 2034. [11]

It is expected to cost HK$58.5 billion in December 2015 prices. [12] [13]

The 5.8 km Northern Link Spur Line starts from San Tin station and connects to San Tin Technopole, Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park before terminating at the Huanggang Port in Shenzhen. Planning and design for the line is expected to start in 2024. [14]

The 9.5 km eastern extension extends eastward from Kwu Tung to Ping Che via Lo Wu South and Man Kam To. [14] Originally planned as part of the extension, the section from Heung Yuen Wai to Fanling station will form the new 8.5 km Northeast New Territories Line. [15]

Stations

Northern Link
Traditional Chinese 北環綫
Simplified Chinese 北环线
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Běi Huán Xiàn
Station NameConnectionsOpening date District
EnglishChinese
Phase 1
(Under construction)
Kwu Tung 古洞
2027 North
Phase 2
Kam Sheung Road 錦上路
20 December 2003 Yuen Long
Au Tau凹頭2034
Ngau Tam Mei牛潭尾
San Tin新田
Eastern Extension
Lo Wu South羅湖南
TBA North
Man Kam To文錦渡
  • Through Border Checkpoint:
  • Shenzhen Metro Corporation logo.svg Wenjin: 9
Hung Lung Hang恐龍坑
Ping Che坪輋
Northern Link Spur Line
San Tin新田2034 North
Chau Tau洲頭TBA
HK-SZ Innovation and Technology Park港深創科園
Huanggang Port皇崗口岸

Controversies

Land hoarding

In July 2021, Liber Research Community found that developers had begun to hoard land alongside the Northern Link line, buying at least 80 hectares of land near the line. [16]

References

  1. "MTR > Home".
  2. Legislative Council - Northern Link and Regional Express February 2006
  3. Railway Development Strategy 2014, Transport and Housing Bureau, Hong Kong Government
  4. 2023 Interim Results (PDF) (Report). MTR Corporation. 10 August 2023. p. 12. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  5. Shum, Michael; Cheung, Jane (17 December 2020). "MTR Northern Link project gets go-ahead". The Standard.
  6. "Annual Report 2021: Excellence in Motion" (PDF). MTR Corporation. 10 March 2022. p. 25. Retrieved 9 August 2022. A design consultant was appointed for Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line in April 2021, with construction targeted to commence in 2023 for completion in 2027.
  7. "Construction of Kwu Tung Station on the East Rail Line Commences". 29 September 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  8. 2023 Interim Results (PDF) (Report). MTR Corporation. 10 August 2023. p. 12. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  9. Shum, Michael; Cheung, Jane (17 December 2020). "MTR Northern Link project gets go-ahead". The Standard.
  10. "古洞站造價2年急升七成 田北辰:離晒大譜". 20 October 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  11. "Hong Kong's planned Northern Link makes progress". 17 December 2020.
  12. 2023 Interim Results (PDF) (Report). MTR Corporation. 10 August 2023. p. 12. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  13. Shum, Michael; Cheung, Jane (17 December 2020). "MTR Northern Link project gets go-ahead". The Standard.
  14. 1 2 "Transport Infrastructure" . Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  15. "行政長官向立法會發表《行政長官2023年施政報告》發言全文(七)". 25 October 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  16. lrcresearcher. "【解剖「囤地線」】以鐵路為骨幹 撐起了誰的未來? #永續港鐵霸權 #7月專研". Liber Research Community (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 18 August 2021.