Project Overview - Project Background

The “Extension of Footbridge Network in Tsuen Wan” Scheme (hereafter called “the Scheme”) was initiated by the Government in early years. The Transport Department (TD) is responsible for the overall planning of the Scheme, while the Highways Department (HyD) is responsible for the progressive implementation of various footbridge projects under the Scheme. The Scheme aims to provide a footbridge network in the Tsuen Wan town centre for connecting all the existing walkways for the pedestrians public to have convenient and safe accesses to the two MTR stations, i.e. Tsuen Wan Station and Tsuen Wan West Station as well as other transport facilities. At the same time, the Scheme also promotes the walking mode in lieu of using road transport for the purpose of relieving the prevailing congestions at various road junctions in the Tsuen Wan area. The Scheme initially consisted of 3 footbridges, i.e. Footbridge A along Castle Peak Road and Tai Ho Road, Footbridge B along Tai Chung Road and Hoi Shing Road and Footbridge C along Kwan Mun Hau Street and Luen Yan Street. As Tsuen Wan was progressively developed, the Tsuen Wan District Council (TWDC) has later proposed Footbridge D (connecting Tsuen Wan Plaza, Skyline Plaza and adjacent landscaping area) and Footbridge E along Ma Tau Pa Road and Wing Shun Street. At present, Footbridge A was completed and opened to public in 2013, while Footbridge D was completed and opened to public in 2019.

The captioned Project, i.e. Footbridge B, is one of the footbridge projects under the Scheme. In the original design, Footbridge B is to run along footpaths at the eastern side of Tai Chung Road and the northern side of Hoi Shing Road, connecting with 3 public footbridge systems as well as the existing footbridge connecting Tsuen Wan Plaza and Clague Garden Estate. When HyD proceeded with the design in early years, strong objections from relevant stakeholders were received. Their concerns included nuisances caused to students and school operation, inconvenience to residents, privacy issues, visual impacts etc.

After liaising with the TWDC and relevant stakeholders, HyD proposed that the section of Footbridge B along Tai Chung Road be re-aligned to the footpath at the western side next to the industrial area, while another section along Hoi Shing Road be re-aligned to the middle of the existing buildings at both sides, i.e. along the carriageway. Further consultations were conducted in 2008. Relevant stakeholders generally welcomed the revised alignment along Tai Chung Road but objections to the Hoi Shing Road section still existed. On the other hand, there were requests to provide lifts or escalators for existing footbridges at Tai Chung Road. At that time, there was no governmental policy to add lifts to existing footbridges where they were already equipped with standard ramps as barrier-free access facilities. In addition to the Hoi Shing Road section not supported by the key stakeholders, there had been no significant progress for the project implementation.

Under the Universal Accessibility Programme introduced in August 2012, HyD Department are now providing lifts for two existing footbridges at Tai Chung Road, which have already addressed the previous request of providing lifts for the existing footbridges at Tai Chung Road. In view of the developments in Tsuen Wan, TD and HyD revisited the design of Footbridge B. A new scheme for Footbridge B was formulated at the meeting held on 7 June 2017 with the Working Group on Tsuen Wan Footbridge Network under TWDC.