New Cross-harbour MTR Link Delayed Again

The MTR Corporation has confirmed yet another delay to the opening of a new cross-harbour section of the East Rail Line, saying the latest target date is June or July next year.

The line was originally expected to open in 2020, but this was eventually pushed back to early next year.

The corporation's chief executive officer Jacob Kam announced the new summer 2022 goal at a press briefing on Friday.

He said in recent months track connection works north of Hung Hom Station and the introduction of new signalling and new trains had progressed smoothly, and works at Admiralty Station and the future Exhibition Centre Station had also gone well.

"I have reported before that due to the delay in the introduction of the new signalling system, and because this particular activity is a critical path activity, therefore its delay will have an impact on the overall programme. But in the last few months, we have made very good progress in both the critical path activities, as well as all the other related construction, as well as testing activities," Kam said.

The rail firm said the last track connection works will be conducted on October 31, and there would be no services between Hung Hom and Mong Kok East stations that day.

After this, full-line testing and trial operations would be carried out, Kam said.

Lawmaker Michael Tien said he believes the MTR has already done its best to open the new rail line as soon as possible next year after the delay caused by the signalling system.

"They should have been delayed by five months from the first quarter, which would put them well into the third quarter," Tien told RTHK's Jimmy Choi.

"I've been pressing them... to try to recover some of the lost time, and now I think they recovered about two months. Originally, I expected it to be September, so now it's June to July and I think that's the best we can do."

Construction problems at Exhibition Centre Station and a building scandal at Hung Hom Station were among issues that have dogged the Shatin-Central Link project, which also includes the now fully open Tuen Ma Line.

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