The raison d’etre for this Project is encapsulated in the concept of enhancing tourism and in the particular context of Lantau of “getting back to nature”.
The experience enjoyed by tourists and residents alike will begin at a state-of-the-art terminal in the vibrant and energetic Tung Chung New Town. The journey will continue with gondolas gently traversing the Sea Channel, leaving behind the panorama of the airport and the hustle and bustle of urban life. A slow ascent of the majestic and imposing Nei Lek Shan will unexpectedly reveal the first glimpse of the spectacular Giant Buddha surrounded by the collected monastic buildings and village houses. Upon arrival at the Ngong Ping terminus the tranquil atmosphere and the context of the religious setting will prevail. The terminus will therefore be of a very different style to the one in Tung Chung, in order to blend into its environs.
The proposal to construct a cable car system between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping to enhance tourism on Lantau was first promulgated in the North Lantau Development Study (NLDS) 1992. The concept was further developed through the Visitor and Tourism Study for Hong Kong (VISTOUR), which was prepared for the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) and Planning Department in 1995.
A preliminary appraisal of the engineering feasibility, ridership, cost and revenue was undertaken by the Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC) in 1996, followed by a further study of the proposal (with alternative locations suggested for termini and alignments) undertaken as part of the “Comprehensive Feasibility Study for Remaining Development in Tung Chung and Tai Ho” for Territory Development Department (TDD) in 1997.
In 1998 MTRC commissioned a Feasibility Study, which included an Initial Environmental Planning Assessment as well as an ecological assessment of the possible routes. The Feasibility Study also examined a series of locations for termini, alignments, towers and cable car systems. A Project Profile was prepared on the basis of the Feasibility Study. Subsequently the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) issued a Study Brief under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) (Cap.499), Section 5(7) “Tung Chung – Ngong Ping Cable Car Project” to the Applicant, viz. the Territory Development Department.
The Project includes the following:
· construction of a cable car system of about 5.7km long between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping;
· construction of associated towers and other support structures and ancillary works;
· construction of two termini, one at Tung Chung and the other at Ngong Ping; and
· construction of associated angle (for turning) station(s) and other associated infrastructure.
The Study Brief issued by EPD contains a “preliminary preferred alignment” and highlights indicative location of Tung Chung Terminal, Airport Intermediate Terminal and the Ngong Ping Terminal as shown on Figures 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 (extracted from the Project Profile). It should be noted that the current proposal does not include an Intermediate Station at the Airport Island, instead there is now an Angle Station (for changing direction), which does not include any picking up or setting down of passengers. This reduces the issues of risk in connection with the EIA as it means that passengers are only conveyed in the gondolas and no passengers will embark/ alight the cable car at this location.
Under the Study Brief (ESB-068/2001), which was originally issued to Hong Kong Island and Islands Development Office of Territory Development Department (TDD), the objectives of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Study are:
(i) to describe the Project and associated works together with the requirements for carrying out the Project;
(ii) to identify and describe elements of community and environment likely to be affected by the Project and/or likely to cause adverse impacts on the Project, including natural and man-made environment and the associated environmental constraints;
(iii) to provide information on the consideration of alternatives to avoid and minimise the environmental impacts, in particular on the Lantau North Country Park, the proposed Lantau North (Extension) Country Park, the Water Gathering Ground and the Airport Sea Channel;
(iv) to identify and quantify emission sources and determine the significance of impacts on sensitive receivers and potential affected uses;
(v) to identify and quantify any potential landscape and visual impacts, especially within the Lantau North Country Park and the proposed Lantau North (Extension) Country Park, and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
(vi) to identify and quantify any potential losses or damage to flora, fauna and natural habitats and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
(vii) to identify any negative impacts on sites of cultural heritage and to propose measures to mitigate these impacts;
(viii) to identify the risk to the passengers and workers of the cable car due to the fuel storage at the Chek Lap Kok tank farm;
(ix) to propose the provision of mitigation measures so as to minimise pollution, environmental disturbance and nuisance during construction and operation of the Project to investigate the feasibility, effectiveness and implications of the proposed mitigation measures;
(x) to identify, predict and evaluate the residual environmental impacts (ie after practicable mitigation) and the cumulative effects expected to arise during the construction and operation phases of the Project in relation to sensitive receivers and potential affected users;
(xi) to identify, assess and specify methods, measures and standards, to be included in the detailed design, construction and operation of the Project which are necessary to mitigate the identified environmental impacts and cumulative effects and reduce them to acceptable levels;
(xii) to investigate the extent of the secondary environmental impacts that may arise from the proposed mitigation measures and to identify constraints associated with the mitigation measures recommended in the EIA Study, as well as the provision of any necessary modifications; and
(xiii) to design and specify environmental monitoring and audit requirements to ensure the effective implementation of the recommended environmental protection and pollution control measures.
The Technical Requirements of the EIA Study comply with those specified in the Study Brief (appended as Annex A). A particular feature of this EIA is that a separate Study was awarded by Hong Kong Island and Islands Development Office of Territory Development Department, under Agreement No HKI 1/2002 “Tung Chung Cable Car Project Ecological Baseline Survey”, to BMT Asia Ltd. BMT Asia Ltd undertook that part of EIA Study in accordance with the Brief issued under the aforementioned Agreement, by the Territory Development Department (TDD) and appended as Annex B and the findings have been incorporated into Section 7 of this Report.
The latter Contract has been novated to MTRC from TDD and MTRC is now the Project Proponent for the Project under the Study Brief ESB-068/2001. The findings of the baseline ecology study have been incorporated into the EIA with mitigation measures determined by the main study team to ensure full compliance with the requirements of the Study Brief (ESB-068/2001).
Other changes to the Project which have taken place since the issue of the Study Brief and have been incorporated into the EIA include upgrading the stream course at Ngong Ping (Schedule 2 item I1 under the EIAO) and the potential for re-use of treated effluent (Schedule 2 Item F2 under the EIAO) from the sewage treatment works at Ngong Ping. These assessments are included under the provisions of the original Study Brief (ESB-068/2001).
The overall objective of the Cable Car Project is to ensure the intertwined objectives of safety, engineering requirements, environmental management, sustainability and tourism are all met. In order to do this, the Study has taken into account views of concerned parties and discussions have been held with various entities such as the Green and Conservation Groups, operators of similar systems (e.g. Skyrail an Australian owned company who operate the Smithfield to Kuranda cableway and who are party to the MTRC franchise agreement with Government) as well as the suppliers of equipment and local Contractors who have provided solutions to working within the difficult and often hazardous terrain of the Lantau North Country Park. Discussions with the Green Groups (Conservancy Association, Green Lantau Association, Friends of the Earth, Kadoorie Farm and Worldwide Life Fund) have all reviewed and commented on Working Papers and the draft EIA report and their feedback has resulted in a more robust Study.
The Study Area encompasses the “envelope between Tung Chung and Ngong Ping” and also takes into consideration the Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok (for the provision of an Angle Station) as shown on the location plan given as Figure 1.1.
The Study Area encompasses both the fast developing town centre at Tung Chung and the mixture of tourism and religious activities at Ngong Ping with the monasteries and associated artifacts and features. Connecting the two terminals is the North Lantau Country Park (and its future Extension) and recognising the diversity of the Study Area is crucial to the successful implementation of the Project as well as to the EIA.
Particular consideration has been given to the adoption of workable solutions and methods of work within the Country Park while upholding principles of conservation and ecological protection. To this end various guiding principles have been developed and documented for translation into working principles for the construction and operation of the cable car. These include but are not limited to the development of a Code of Practice specifically for work within the Country Park (refer to Section 12) and a Nature Conservation Policy for the implementation of this Project which is documented in Section 7.
The overarching environmental policy adopted by the MTRC (Project Division and is the Policy for ISO 14001 Certification) will prevail for this Project. This states that the MTRC will:
1. Comply with all relevant environmental laws or, in the absence of legislation, seek out and observe accepted best international practice as appropriate.
2. Employ a corporate-wide Environmental Management System (EMS) to continuously monitor and manage environmental impacts, and to conduct regular reviews on the range of environmental issues that require monitoring.
3. Conduct Environmental Impact Assessments for new projects, where required by law and suggested by best practice, and implement the recommendations.
4. Ensure that contractors and partners will implement any recommendation to achieve acceptable environmental standards, train and encourage all our suppliers to adopt environmental acceptable practices in the products and services provided.
5. Educate and train staff in environmental matters and raise their environmental awareness.
6. Educate passengers, legislators, opinion makers and the general public on the Environmental benefits of railways.
7. Set environmental performance goals, arrange regular third-party environmental audits and publish the results with the aim of continuous improvement.
The foregoing policy statements are supplemented in this EIA by a series of supporting policies (conservation and construction being the key statements) and recommendations.
The Cable Car Project was awarded to MTRC in July 2002 and is now in a Provisional Agreement period between MTRC and Government. All necessary approvals and licences must be in place before 31 July 2003 to allow the committed date of opening of the Project to the public by August 2005.
The overall programme for completion of the Project is given as Figure 1.5. As with any infrastructure project the implementation of the works will be effected via a series of contract packages. Essentially the advance works which are being undertaken at present include ground investigation contracts, natural terrain hazard assessment studies, Section 16 planning applications for the termini and system as well as the Theme Village development in the surrounding area at Ngong Ping, systems evaluation as well as the Environmental Impact Assessment.
The MTR is implementing this Project with support from Skyrail who will provide the operational expertise. Leitner (part of the POMA group who manufactures cable car systems world wide including the one for Cairns (Smithfield to Kuranda), Australia has been awarded the contract to provide the cable car system and they have also provided advice on the construction and operational aspects of aerial ropeway systems. Skyrail has provided advice to the EIA study team on measures and methods for constructing the cable car in an ecologically sensitive area drawing on their experience in the ecologically sensitive tropical rainforests of Cairns, Australia.
The EIA has been prepared to contain all the findings of the Study as follows:
· Section 2 presents the consideration of alternative options as required under the Study Brief, for the alignment, the terminal locations, pylon locations and the cable car systems and describes the construction methods assumed for the Project;
· Section 3 describes the Air Quality Impact Assessment;
· Section 4 describes the issues associated with noise during and following construction, quantifies the impacts and recommends mitigation measures;
· Section 5 presents the Water Quality Impact Assessment which include the contingency plans for the protection of the Water Gathering grounds;
· Section 6 describes the waste management implications;
· Section 7 presents the Ecological Impact Assessment which is a combined report using the findings of the baseline survey, and describing the development of the mitigation measures and construction management plan for the protection of the ecological resources and habitats;
· Section 8 presents the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) which is one of the components of the EIA and which was a key driver in the selection of the route and the location of the termini in the earlier studies;
· Section 9 presents the Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment;
· Section 10 describes “Hazard to Life” and provides the Quantified Risk Assessments;
· Section 11 provides a summary of the Environmental Outcomes;
· Section 12 presents the Environmental Monitoring and Audit requirements;
· Section 13 presents a summary of the Conclusions of the EIA; and
· Section 14 presents an Implementation Schedule.