BACKGROUND

Kam Tin Road and Lam Kam Road together form a critical route serving the local areas in Yuen Long east and Tai Po south. Sections of Kam Tin Road and Lam Kam Road have been upgraded under the following projects:

  1. Lam Kam Road Improvement Stage I and II, completed in 1986 and 1994 respectively, upgraded the section between Kadoorie Farm and Lam Kam Road Interchange;
  2. Improvement to Kam Tin Road Stage I, completed in 2002, widened the section of Kam Tin Road between Au Tau Roundabout and Ko Po Tsuen from single two-lane carriageway to dual two-lane carriageway; and
  3. Kam Tin Bypass, completed in 2004, constructed dual two-lane carriageway to bypass traffic from Kam Tin Road between Ko Po Tsuen and Kiu Tau Tsuen.

The remaining sections of Kam Tin Road and Lam Kam Road are located at Kam Tin Road between Kam Tin Bypass and Lam Kam Road, and Lam Kam Road between Kam Tin Road and Kadoorie Farm. These sections comprise a substandard single two-lane carriageway. Road safety problems are compounded by fast vehicular traffic, sharp bends, hidden accesses, sub-standard gradients, inadequate lateral clearance, frequent usage of heavy vehicles, insufficient pedestrian crossing facilities, significant jay-walking and lack of bus-bays. On road safety grounds, the project titled "Upgrading of Remaining Sections of Kam Tin Road and Lam Kam Road" (hereinafter known as the "Project") was initiated in 2007.

Kam Tin Road and Lam Kam Road are rural roads. The Project does not include 100 m long road bridge or 800 m long road tunnel. In addition, it does not have any additional traffic lane or long road extension. However, it encroaches upon existing conservation areas. Hence, the Project is a Designated Project (DP) under item Q.1 of Part 1, Schedule 2 of the EIAO: "All projects including new access roads, railways, sewers, sewage treatment facilities, earthworks, dredging works and other building works partly or wholly in an existing or gazetted proposed country park or special area, a conservation area, an existing or gazetted proposed marine park or marine reserve, a site of cultural heritage, and a site of special scientific interest."

The Highways Department (HyD) submitted an application for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study brief with a project profile in September 2007. Pursuant to Section 5(7)(a) of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO), the Environmental Protection Department issued the EIA study brief (ESB-170/2007) for the Project in October 2007.