Like the monorail from PVG to Pudong - 5 minutes by train at 400Km / h and half an hour trying to find a cab that will take you to your hotel!
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12-01-2010, 10:44 AM #11
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17-01-2010, 09:37 AM #12
Wish I could get HK$66 billion for project for which I don't need to provide answers to difficult questions.
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17-01-2010, 07:23 PM #13
Transport Secretary Eva Cheng goes to MTR Station!
But not to catch train; rather to escape the crowds who wouldn't let her leave the legislative council building in her chauffeur driven car.
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18-01-2010, 04:55 PM #14
This is an interesting read:
Learning Cantonese: The Siege of Legco
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18-01-2010, 05:19 PM #15
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18-01-2010, 05:27 PM #16
In 15 years time, when air travel has been taxed to a level where only the super-rich can afford it, we will be glad that at least we can still go on holiday to China for a reasonable price, thanks to the high speed rail line.
I struggle to see why people have got their knickers in such a knot over this. The consultations appear to have been ongoing since 2006 (so where does the 'they did it all in a hurry' come from?) - just because nobody took any notice, is that LEGCO's fault, or ours, for not paying attention?
Sure, it's expensive. But you can say that about ANY infrastructure project. I work in electricity. There is no way you could justify a hydro dam based on pure discounted cashflow economics - you have to take into account the fact that once built, such a long term investment provides benefits for years to come ... unless obviously it has some awful environmental impact. Does this rail line have that? From what I can see, mostly the darn thing is underground, so has negligible impact on anyone - that sounds pretty impressive to me!
So 150 villagers will have to move. Sorry - but "so what"? They will get compensated and 150 families compared to 8 million HK'ers hardly seems unfair.
As to the terminal - yes - I'd prefer an NT terminal. Would be more convenient for me. But it would be less convenient for someone else. You are never going to make a perfect decision on location that everyone agrees with! If I want to go to Guangzhou, I can just go to Lu Wo first and get the Shenzhen train - to middle of Guangzhou. If, on the other hand, I am going to connect with the high speed train network and go to Beijing, do I really care about an extra 30 mins at my end??????
We have other options to get to Guangzhou. This route is REALLY about linking to the "back of nowhere" station to connect to the high speed network. I think being able to take an 8 or 10 hour journey and get to Beijing is fantastic. That's on a par with flying, if you take intoa ccount security and other time consuming crap at airports at both ends! wow.
On balance, this seems to have been more about a fight for the sake of a fight, rather than any real meaningful reason to stop it.
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18-01-2010, 06:30 PM #17
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18-01-2010, 06:32 PM #18
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18-01-2010, 06:34 PM #19
It's not fine though, for many reasons. Lack of consultation is one. The vast cost is another. Is it a good idea to spend HK$67 billion on an infrastructure project which is designed to curry favour with Beijing, when people like nurses and teachers aren't paid enough?
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18-01-2010, 06:55 PM #20
F.A.O. MovingIn07:
Sorry but those days are over, and I am talking about expensive air travel. While the cost of air travel is, as always, subject to seasonal fluctuations, the trend has been towards cheaper fares. Such is the shift that even top-tier carriers are gradually phasing out First Class cabins and introducing Premium Economy.
A couple of things:
I disagree. Security for flights to China is not as hellish as it is flying to the USA. And if you think there will be no security checks of any kind prior to boarding trains on the high speed rail network with access to the capital of China... think again. It doesn't make any sense for there not to be and you can bet that it will not be as simple as the current security set-up on the present-day inter-city express lines.
Hong Kong residents, who are supposed to benefit from from this rail-link, can check-in online for air travel and can afford to arrive at the airport between an hour to an hour and a half (w/check-in bags) before scheduled departure. Beijing's T3 is very, very efficient and streamlined and you can expect to be out of the terminal within 40 mins of arrival as I, and plenty other folks, have on many, many occasions (with my checked-in bags too). Even if it took you up to an hour, you can still be downtown in 20 minutes on the airport express. Sooner or later, Hong Kong to China will be classified as domestic travel, eliminating the need for immigration, so more time shaved off there.
I would rather the Government be wary of a discerning and scrutinising public that isn't afraid to speak out when dissatisfied than to go un-checked. If anything, they *may* think twice before paving the road ahead with pork. It is not as though Hong Kongers are free to just 'vote for the other guy'. How else can they voice their dissent? Drop a note in the suggestion box?
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