Two new LRT lines under study to boost public transport system

The Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raymond Tam, announced yesterday at the Legislative Assembly (AL) that the government is conducting evaluations and studies for the future implementation of two new Light Rapid Transit (LRT) lines.

Tam was at the AL to present the detailed policy address for the transport and public works sector, stating that the priority is the so-called “West Line.”

“We are studying future LRT lines and making some adjustments. We are primarily evaluating the West Line, which would initially link Qingmao Port [the terminal station of the East Line] to the Fai Chi Kei area and from there, through the Inner Harbor, connect to Taipa via the Taipa Line extension at Barra,” Tam said.

“We are also considering another line [for a later stage] that would start at the artificial island of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge and from there connect to the eastern area of the Peninsula, ending south of Sai Van Lake. We hope that by optimizing the LRT, we can achieve the goal of making this system the primary component of the public transport network,” he added.

Tam did not provide any tentative timeline for the official announcement of these projects.

Equally vague and with an unclear timeline was the announcement of constructing a new tunnel, allegedly connecting Macau and Hengqin, which would facilitate a direct link between the two places via private vehicles.

Still on transport and efforts to facilitate commuting for residents and visitors, Tam reaffirmed that the extension of Taipa’s Sky Corridor to the Lake Building will become a reality. However, he noted that more time will be needed to ensure the construction meets residents’ expectations.

Similar projects involving sky corridors and pedestrian flyovers are also part of the Secretary’s plans. He said that this policy, started by his predecessor Raimundo do Rosário, will continue, with the aim of separating pedestrian and vehicle traffic to improve mobility for both.

Tam and the director of the Public Works Bureau, Lam Wai Hou, reaffirmed that pedestrian flyovers and covered corridor projects have shown very positive results, which have encouraged the implementation of similar projects in other parts of the city.

In the debate with lawmakers, Tam was questioned about the possibility of allowing more vehicles from Hong Kong to enter Macau on weekends.

The Secretary said that the government is maintaining an open attitude and evaluating the potential positive and negative impacts of such a measure, but added that there is an intention to continue expanding interconnectivity between Macau, Hong Kong, and the mainland.