MTR Corp awarded Arup Aecom joint venture a contract to deliver the preliminary design consultancy to start the planning and design of the Northern Link main line project.
“The award of this contract marks a significant step forward for the Northern Link project. The Northern Link will support the overall development and enhance the connectivity of the area,” Roger Bayliss, Capital Works Director of MTR Corporation said.
The scope of the consultancy contract includes the development of the scheme into an engineering design, preparation of the construction programme, gazette plans and project cost estimate, as well as liaison with government departments and other stakeholders. Arup Aecom joint venture will work closely with the company’s Capital Works team to deliver the studies.
In December 2020, the Government of Hong Kong invited MTR to proceed with the detailed planning and design of the Northern Link project comprising the construction of the Kwu Tung (KTU) station and a 10.7 km – long railway link between the existing Kam Sheung Road (KSR) station of West Rail Line (WRL) and KTU station.
The KTU station will be constructed along the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line between Sheung Shui station and Lok Ma Chau station. The new line will link Kam Sheung Road station on the Tuen Ma Line and the new Kwu Tung station via three intermediate stations in San Tin, Ngau Tam Mei and Au Tau.
MTR will implement the project within two phases. The first phase involves the construction of the KTU station. The primary function of KTU station is to serve the transport need of the Kwu Tung North New Development Area which, upon full development, will accommodate a total population of 119,700 and 33,300 jobs. Upon its commissioning, KTU station would facilitate residents in the area to use the rail-based transport system and reduce the time needed for a journey.
In April, MTR awarded Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd the design consultancy contract to carry out detailed planning and design of the Kwu Tung station. The construction of the first phase is expected to commence in 2023 and is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
Under the second phase, MTR will construct the main line that will connect the East Rail Line and the West Rail Line (WRL), forming a rail loop of around the New Territories (NT) and Kowloon, greatly improving the transport connectivity between East and West New Territories. The main line will offer an alternative transport choice to the residents in the vicinity, reducing the travelling time for the existing population as well as the additional population arising from the developments along the alignment of the line in future.
The construction of the main line of Northern Link is expected to start in 2025 and is scheduled to be completed in 2034.
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