Zone A cable car not on the table ‘for the time being’

There is no plan “in the short term” to commence a proposed cable car system connecting the New Urban Zone A with the Macao Science Center location, the transport secretary said yesterday.

Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raimundo do Rosário was speaking at an introductory session on Zone A attended by members of the Transport Advisory Committee and the Urban Planning Committee.

The cable car proposal has stirred debate on its feasibility and reliability. Zakarie Man, a Macau real estate developer currently working in the US, has told the Times such systems usually have low capacity, long turnaround times and are subject to weather conditions, making it unsuitable for a city with high commuting needs.

At yesterday’s session, the transport secretary said the government has no plan to build the cable car soon. The connection will be replaced by a bridge. The senior official did not give details about the bridge.

Rosário also said that for economic reasons, the Light Rapid Transit’s (LRT) East Line will not have a station at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Border Checkpoint. Given the short distance between the Zone A and the Checkpoint, shuttle buses may be operated in the future to cater to transport needs.

He also asked people for patience with road network congestion near Zone A. It was revealed there will be a new road on Zone A to the Border Checkpoint. As for the link between Zone A and northern Avenida de Amizade, Rosário said it will be finished at the end of next year. The situation of a single connection between the Peninsula and Zone A will persist for another year.