The
Hong Kong public has shown a clear preference for
Hong Kong International Airport to have a third runway, an independent survey released Thursday.
The survey was conducted and analyzed by the
Hong Kong University. 24,242 questionnaires were received during the three-month survey between June and September.
Among the respondents, 73 percent said they prefer to have the third runway, with 11 percent opting to maintain the two-runway system and 16 percent remaining neutral. The survey also indicated that the majority of respondents agree or strongly agree that Airport Authority
Hong Kong (AAHK) should make a decision urgently on the airport's future expansion plans, while just 6 percent hold the opposite view.
The Board of AAHK on Thursday submitted its recommendation to the
Hong Kong government to adopt, for planning purposes, the three-runway option as the future development option for the airport. The board also recommended proceeding with the statutory Environmental Impact Assessment process and the preparation of associated design details.
"We are very pleased to have received so many valuable views from the public and a wide range of stakeholders about the two development options we presented for HKIA(Hong Kong International Airport)," said Marvin Cheung Kin-tung, Chairman of AAHK. "There is a clear consensus on the need to make a decision regarding HKIA 's expansion as soon as possible, and it is also clear that the majority of those who participated in the consultation prefer the third-runway option."
Commenting on way forward, Stanley Hui Hon-chung, Chief Executive Officer of AAHK, said, "We are taking another important step in a long journey. We will continue our efforts to carefully plan ahead and engage our stakeholder groups as we prepare for the subsequent phases of work."
The public survey generated extensive, in-depth discussion across the community on a broad range of issues, including the two-runway and three-runway development options for HKIA. Respondents to the quantitative survey were asked to evaluate eight key considerations affecting AAHK's decision on expansion, including HKIA's connectivity, Hong Kong's competitiveness, environmental impact, financial cost and others.
The survey confirmed a consensus among stakeholders that enhanced air connectivity results in increased economic growth, competitiveness and job creation. Respondents were also aware of the negative impact that could result from failing to build a third runway, with little in the way of dissent.
The primary areas of concern were the environmental impact of the third runway and whether there was enough information in the consultation documents to adequately evaluate the impact of the options. There was consensus that the statutory Environmental Impact Assessment should commence as soon as possible to allow the necessary informed debate about how the environmental impact could be mitigated.
"While a clear majority of respondents prefer building a third runway, we understand how important it is for us to avoid, minimize, mitigate and compensate for the environmental impact that could result," added Hui. "No effort will be spared in addressing each of these issues, particularly marine ecology, aircraft noise and air quality. After the completion of the three- month consultation, we have continued engaging with our stakeholders, including professional bodies, young people, green groups, other NGOs and more. This dialogue will continue as we proceed further."