Project Details /

Benefits

The SCL will extend the railway network to areas not yet served by the MTR. It will provide direct and convenient interchanges to facilitate efficient and reliable access to every corner of the territory, bringing with it substantial social and economic benefits. It is forecast that in 2021, more than 1 million passenger trips will be made on the SCL per day, creating HK$4.1 billion worth of transport benefits per year. It will generate great value to the community by:

  • Providing a fast, comfortable and reliable railway service that saves travelling time

  • Relieving road traffic congestion and pressure on the Tai Wai to Kowloon Tong section of the East Rail Line, the Shek Kip Mei to Prince Edward section of the Kwun Tong Line and the Nathan Road corridor of the Tsuen Wan Line
    How can the SCL relieve the congestion on the East Rail Line?
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    Congestion on East Rail Line

    Currently, the busiest section on the East Rail Line (EAL) is the section running from Tai Wai Station to Kowloon Tong Station. To head to the urban districts, railway commuters in North New Territories or Ma On Shan must pass this section.

    Since these passengers cannot switch to another railway line until they reach Kowloon Tong Station, a bottleneck is formed in the railway section between Tai Wai and Kowloon Tong.
    East West Corridor – To Open a New Railway Corridor from New Territories to Urban Districts

    Building a new railway line can most effectively divert the passengers using the Tai Wai to Kowloon Tong section and therefore resolve the bottleneck problem of the EAL.

    The "East West Corridor", formed by the Tai Wai to Hung Hom Section of the SCL, will provide a new railway line in future, taking passengers from Tai Wai Station directly to East Kowloon or Hong Kong Island East via Diamond Hill Station.

    With the new railway line, it is estimated that about 23% of south-bound passengers of the EAL heading to Kowloon will change to use the SCL Tai Wai to Hung Hom Section. This will alleviate the congestion between Tai Wai and Kowloon Tong.
    East West Corridor & North South Corridor – To Enhance Carrying Capacity from New Territories to Kowloon

    With the completion of the SCL, the overall carrying capacity of the railway system from the New Territories to the urban districts will be greatly enhanced.

    The EAL currently runs on 12-car train units and its service frequency during peak hours is around 20 trains per hour. That means the carrying capacity of the EAL at present is 240 cars per hour.

    Upon the full completion of the SCL, the "East West Corridor" will run in 8-car train configuration and provide around 20 trains per hour, offering a carrying capacity of 160 cars per hour.

    Meanwhile, the "North South Corridor", which will be formed by the existing EAL extending from Lo Wu/ Lok Ma Chau to Hung Hom and across the harbour to Admiralty, will adopt 9-car train configuration. Service frequency during peak hours will be increased to 27 trains per hour, meaning a total of 243 cars per hour.
    Both railway corridors, combined together, will provide a carrying capacity of 403 cars per hour, which means a significant increase of 163 cars compared with the 240 cars per hour currently offered by the EAL service.

  • Acting as a catalyst for the redevelopment of old districts that currently rely on road transport, such as Hung Hom, Ho Man Tin, To Kwa Wan and Ma Tau Wai, by providing them with a fast and convenient rail service

  • Providing convenient access to the multi-purpose stadium and other recreational facilities in the Kai Tak New Development Area, thereby spurring the growth of tourism and commercial activities and creating new employment opportunities
  • Increasing the value of properties along the railway corridor

  • Reducing noise and roadside air pollution by reducing road traffic, thereby improving the quality of life, as the trains are electrically powered and emission-free