Hong Kong Regulations

TAI LAM TUNNEL AND YUEN LONG APPROACH ROAD REGULATION - SECT 2

The Company's obligations

Caution: This is a past version. See the current version here.

(1) The Company shall, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner-

   (a)  erect and maintain adequate and efficient traffic signs and
        light signals, and place and maintain adequate and efficient road 
        markings, in the toll area;

   (b)  provide and maintain a control centre which shall-

        (i)    be situated at the administration building near the northern
               portal of the tunnel;

        (ii)   contain adequate equipment for the regulation and control of
               vehicles and persons using or employed in the toll area; and

        (iii)  be manned at all times by an adequate number of persons trained
               in the use of equipment referred to in subparagraph (ii) and
               who are trained to implement emergency traffic arrangements;

   (c)  provide and maintain in efficient working order direct
        telecommunication links at all times between the control centre and-

        (i)    the Regional Command and Control Centre of the Hong Kong Police
               Force in the New Territories;

        (ii)   the New Territories South Operational Base of the Hong Kong
               Police Force in the New Territories;

        (iii)  the Communication Centre of the Fire Services Department; and

        (iv)   the control centre of the operator of the Tsing Ma Control 
               Area;

   (d)  provide and maintain in efficient working order the emergency
        communication system in the tunnel for officers of the Hong Kong
        Police Force and the Fire Services Department to communicate with
        their respective departments referred to in paragraph (c);

   (e)  provide and maintain in efficient working order a radio
        re-broadcasting system for transmission of messages on traffic
        conditions and arrangements from the control centre to persons using
        the tunnel;

   (f)  provide an adequate number of trained personnel for dealing with
        vehicular breakdowns, traffic accidents and obstruction in the toll
        area;

   (g)  provide service vehicles for the personnel referred to in paragraph
        (f) of the type, specification and quantity specified in Appendix 8 of
        the project agreement or of a type or specification or quantity that
        has obtained the prior approval from the Commissioner;

   (h)  provide an adequate number of service vehicles referred to in
        paragraph (g) to be manned and maintained at all times in a state of
        readiness by an adequate number of trained personnel and that a 2-way
        radio link is maintained between the service vehicle and the control 
        centre while any such vehicle is present in a lane;

   (i)  provide an adequate system of ventilation for the health and safety of
        persons using or employed in the tunnel;

   (j)  provide equipment for the continuous measurement and recording of the
        concentration of carbon monoxide gas, nitrogen dioxide gas and
        extinction coefficient in the tunnel and for visual and audible alarm
        warnings to be given in the control centre if the concentration
        exceeds the level specified in subsection (2); where the equipment for
        measuring nitrogen dioxide gas is not commercially available in the
        market, equipment for the continuous measurement and recording of
        nitric oxide gas shall be provided subject to it being immediately
        replaced by equipment for measuring nitrogen dioxide gas when such
        equipment is available;

   (k)  submit statistical data showing the results of the continuous
        measurements referred to in paragraph (j) to the Commissioner, in a
        form and containing the information required by him;

   (l)  provide and maintain at all times adequate first aid equipment;

   (m)  provide adequate and efficient illumination within the toll area;

   (n)  arrange for variation of the illumination in the tunnel having regard
        to the volume of traffic using the tunnel and the light conditions
        outside the tunnel;

   (o)  maintain in efficient working order at all times an emergency power
        supply for use in the tunnel by officers of the Fire Services
        Department;

   (p)  provide connection to 2 independent outside sources of electric power
        so that, if there is failure of one source, adequate electric power
        continues to be available for the full operation of the
        Constructed and  Maintained Facilities;

   (q)  in addition to the requirement mentioned in paragraph (p), provide and
        maintain in a state of readiness at all times electricity generating
        apparatus which, in the event of failure of the outside sources of
        electric power, will be sufficient to operate the following emergency
        systems and equipment in the toll area for a minimum of 6 hours-

        (i)    fire services systems;

        (ii)   all loads backed up by uninterruptible power supply;

        (iii)  essential tunnel lighting and emergency power points inside the
               tunnel;

        (iv)   air-conditioning for computer rooms, control rooms and
               uninterruptible power supply rooms;

        (v)    mechanical ventilation for battery rooms; and

        (vi)   emergency lights and essential power points for the toll plaza,
               the administration building and ancillary buildings;

   (r)  keep the toll area in a clean and orderly condition;

   (s)  provide access and facilitate the activities of officers or other
        servants of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative
        Region and its agents whilst engaged in duty relating to the toll
        area.

(2) The Company shall ensure that-

   (a)  the concentration of carbon monoxide gas in the tunnel does not during
        any 5-minute period exceed an average of 100 parts per million by
        volume;

   (b)  the concentration of nitrogen dioxide gas in the tunnel does not
        during any 5-minute period exceed an average of 1 part per million by
        volume or; where the equipment for measuring nitrogen dioxide gas is
        not commercially available in the market, the concentration of nitric
        oxide gas in the tunnel does not during any 5-minute period exceed an
        average of 11.4 parts per million by volume; and

   (c)  the visibility in the tunnel does not during any 5-minute period
        exceed an extinction coefficient of 0.005 per metre.

(3) The Company shall-

   (a)  to the satisfaction of the Director of Fire Services, provide and
        maintain adequate fire service installations and equipment in the toll
        area at all times;

   (b)  in the event of fire, traffic accident or injury to persons in the
        toll area, conduct fire fighting operation and render first aid
        treatment to the injured persons as soon as and so far as it is
        reasonably practicable prior to the arrival of those officers of the
        Fire Services Department and Hong Kong Police Force, and offer
        assistance to those officers in the course of any fire fighting or
        rescue operation;

   (c)  ensure the toll area control officers engaged in the operation
        referred to in paragraph (b) are trained in fire fighting procedures,
        first aid techniques and the use of fire fighting and first aid
        equipment.

(4) The Company shall, without delay, report and diversion or interruption of
traffic in the toll area that may affect the flow of traffic outside that area
to-

   (a)  the Regional Command and Control Centre of the Hong Kong Police Force
        in the New Territories;

   (b)  the New Territories South Operational Base of the Hong Kong Police
        Force in the New Territories; and

   (c)  an officer designated by the Commissioner.

(5) The Company shall, without delay, report any diversion or interruption of
traffic in the toll area that may affect the flow of traffic inside the
Tsing Ma Control Area to the control centre of the operator of the
Tsing Ma Control Area.

(6) The Company shall enter, or cause the operator of the toll area to enter,
into co-operation agreements with the operator of the Tsing Ma  Control Area
to provide for facilities and arrangements, which will facilitate co-operation
in the operation of the toll area and the Tsing Ma  Control Area and the safe
and efficient flow of traffic. The co-operation agreements shall contain
requirements specified in Appendix 8 of the project agreement.

(7) In this section-

"Constructed and Maintained Facilities" (已建設及受保養的設施) means
the Constructed  and Maintained Facilities defined in the project agreement;

"control centre" (控制中心), unless the context otherwise requires, means
the control centre referred to in subsection (1)(b);

"lane" (行車綫) means a lane for the passage of traffic in the toll area;

"Tsing Ma Control Area" (青馬管制區) means the area described and
delineated as such on a plan deposited under section 7 of the
Tsing Ma Control Area  Ordinance ( Cap 498) and includes any road, viaduct,
bridge or tunnel wholly or partially located within that area but does not
include any part of that area so described and delineated which is for the
time being under the ownership, possession or control of the Mass Transit
Railway Corporation;

"tunnel" (隧道) means the Tai Lam Tunnel within the meaning of section 27 of
the Ordinance.

"Constructed and Maintained Facilities" (已建設及受保養的設施)

"control centre" (控制中心)

"lane" (行車綫)

"Tsing Ma Control Area" (青馬管制區)

"tunnel" (隧道)