Project funding delay regretted

(July 19, 2017)

Secretary for Transport & Housing Frank Chan has expressed disappointment that the funding application for the Central Kowloon Route project was not approved in today’s Legislative Council Finance Committee meeting.
 
Speaking to the media after the committee met for the last time in the current LegCo year, Mr Chan said the delay means the community cannot benefit from the $3 billion in annual economic benefits the project would have brought from the travel time it would have saved.
 
He said the move could also inflate the project cost by another $2 billion per year.
 
"I would have thought if the committee was given eight hours to discuss and deliberate their budget requirements for eight items, there should be sufficient time for discussion and decision.
 
"It is very disappointing that many of these items were not considered and approved within these eight hours.
 
"It would be beneficial to the community and everyone in Hong Kong if these items could have been approved, because many of these items concern the livelihood of Hong Kong people."