Government and MTRCL Execute Project Agreement for Full Northern Link Project

Government and MTRCL execute project agreement for full Northern Link Project

Further to the approval of the financial arrangement for Part 1 of the Northern Link (NOL) Project on July 8, 2025, the Chief Executive in Council approved today (November 10) the financial arrangement for Part2 of the project. Witnessed by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, and the Chairman of the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL), Dr Jacob Kim, the representatives of the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the MTRCL executed the project agreement for the full NOL Project, signifying that the NOL Main Line and Spur Line have fully entered the construction stage, with the target of commissioning simultaneously by 2034 or earlier.

Ms Chan said, "The NOL Project, comprising the Main Line and the Spur Line, is a strategic railway project under Hong Kong's First Five-Year Plan and actively aligns with the strategies set out in the National 15th Five-Year Plan Outline. Offering both local commuting functions within Hong Kong and cross-boundary railway services, the project will open up new transport corridors for both local and cross-border travel upon full commissioning. The project features three highlights, namely 'Serving the Northern Metropolis, Joining Two Lines, and Linking the Greater Bay Area'. First, the project will serve as the main public transport backbone for several new development areas in the Northern Metropolis including the innovation and technology clusters in the San Tin Technopole and the Loop, driving the expedited development of the Northern Metropolis; Secondly, the project will link the Tuen Ma Line and the East Rail Line to form a railway loop, significantly enhancing the coverage and resilience of the railway network; Thirdly, the project will connect to the Huanggang Port, which adopts the innovative clearance mode of 'collaborative inspection and joint clearance', thereby integrating the metro networks of Hong Kong and Shenzhen and strengthening infrastructure interconnectivity in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

"To enhance the speed and efficiency of railway development, over the past year the Government and the MTRCL teams have taken forward a series of key initiatives to reduce cost and expedite construction, with three major decisive breakthroughs in particular: First, in February this year, the Highways Department promulgated the Hong Kong Railway Standards, introducing the most suitable railway standards of the nation and various places in the world to facilitate the wider adoption of innovative technologies, materials, equipment and systems. The Railway Checking Unit has been established concurrently to handle building plan submissions for railway projects in a dedicated manner, substantially reducing the time for handling building plans by 30 to 50 percent; Secondly, various streamlining proposals have been incorporated in the Northern Metropolis Development Bill, such as simplifying the procedures and requirements for applications for construction noise permits, to further streamline the implementation process of the NOL Project and other transport infrastructure projects in the Northern Metropolis; Thirdly, implementing the NOL Main Line in combination with the Spur Line as one project to achieve synergies not only reduces cost but also advances the timetable of the Spur Line by two years to commission simultaneously with the Main Line by 2034 or earlier," Ms Chan added.

Through the above breakthroughs, coupled with the cost-saving benefits brought about by the shortened construction period, the overall construction cost of the whole NOL Project has been reduced by 28 per cent as compared with the original estimate. During the construction stage, the Government will continue to work closely with the MTRCL to explore the wider application of innovative technologies to expedite delivery and enhance efficiency, with a view to commissioning as early as practicable.

The Government, supported by an independent checking consultant, has critically examined the financial estimates provided by the MTRCL in relation to Part 2 of the NOL Project. The estimated capital cost (covering railway tunnel, stations, depot as well as electrical and mechanical systems and installations of the entire line) is verified to be about $54.8 billion (in July 2025 prices). Together with the estimated capital cost for Part 1, the estimated capital cost of the entire NOL Project is about $86.2 billion (in July 2025 prices), which is lower than the original estimate by 28 per cent.

The Chief Executive in Council approved the grant of sites at Ngau Tam Mei Area 3A, 3D and 4A; San Tin Area 2A and 2G; Kwu Tung North Area 23 and 26 (East); as well as part of the site for residential use in the proposed Au Tau New Development Area, to the MTRCL for residential and commercial development under the "Rail-plus-Property" model. A fixed lump sum would be deducted from the full market-value land premium of the sites assessed on a "with-railway" basis in the future as funding support to the MTRCL in implementing Part2 of the NOL Project.

The NOL Main Line involves the construction of a 10.7-kilometre-long underground railway and five stations. There will be two interchange stations at Kam Sheung Road Station and Kwu Tung Station connecting with the Tuen Ma Line and the East Rail Line respectively, as well as three intermediate stations at San Tin, Ngau Tam Mei and Au Tau. Upon commissioning, the travelling time between Kam Sheung Road and Kwu Tung during peak hours will be significantly reduced from the current 60minutes to 12minutes. The Spur Line involves the construction of an underground railway of about 6 kilometres in length branching off from San Tin Station on the NOL Main Line, of which the Shenzhen section is approximately 1.1kilometres long. There will be three new stations, including intermediate stations at Chau Tau and the Loop, as well as the terminal at the Huanggang Port in Shenzhen. The travelling time between San Tin and the Huanggang Port is expected to be only about 11 minutes upon commissioning.

The Transport and Logistics Bureau and the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) executed the project agreement for the full Northern Link Project today (November 10). Photo shows the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan (back row, right), and the Chairman of the MTRCL, Dr Jacob Kam (back row, left), witnessing the signing of the Project Agreement by the Permanent Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Vic Yau (front row, second right), and the Chief Executive Officer of the MTRCL, Ms Jeny Yeung (front row, second left). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government and MTRCL execute project agreement for full Northern Link Project Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government and MTRCL execute project agreement for full Northern Link Project Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government and MTRCL execute project agreement for full Northern Link Project Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government and MTRCL execute project agreement for full Northern Link Project Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government and MTRCL execute project agreement for full Northern Link Project Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD selects outstanding toilet attendants

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) held the Outstanding Toilet Attendant Award Presentation Ceremony today (November 10) to recognise six frontline staff members who have demonstrated exceptional performance in their daily cleaning and management duties. The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene, Mr Albert Yuen, attended the ceremony to commend and present the awards to the winning staff members.

Mr Yuen said, "As an international financial centre, Hong Kong offers a highly efficient urban lifestyle. The quality of a city is determined not only by major infrastructure projects, but more importantly by whether its public services are meticulous and considerate. Public toilets are among the most routine yet essential services. For the public, clean and comfortable public toilets are directly related to their quality of life, while for visitors, they serve as a window into the city's management standards. Providing excellent public toilet services does more than enhance the city's image; above all, it ensures that the practical needs of every user are met."

The three male and three female outstanding toilet attendants commended this year serve at the Aberdeen Main Road Public Toilet in Southern District, the Hoi Hing Road Public Toilet in Tsuen Wan District, the New Hung Hom Ferry Pier Public Toilet in Kowloon City District, the Warren Street Public Toilet in Wan Chai District, the Lei Yue Mun Ma Wan Public Toilet cum Bathhouse in Kwun Tong District, and the Ma Liu Shui Waterfront Public Toilet in Sha Tin District respectively.

In recent years, the FEHD has adopted a multipronged approach to continuously advance public toilet refurbishment and facility improvement initiatives, accelerating the upgrading of its public toilet facilities through the Enhanced Public Toilet Refurbishment Programme. The department has made effective use of technology to assist in daily management and elevate service quality. This includes gradually expanding the Smart Public Toilet System to 50 public toilets to monitor odour levels in real time utilising Internet of Things sensors; extending the Smart Accident Detection System, which detects falls and abnormal prolonged inactivity, to about 40 public toilets; installing the Nanobubble Ozone Generation System in heavily used public toilets to boost disinfection and deodorisation; and using Adenosine Triphosphate luminometers to objectively assess the hygiene levels of facility surfaces, thereby comprehensively improving the public toilet environment and enhancing safety.

Mr Yuen encouraged the award-winning toilet attendants, noting that upgrading facilities and adopting technology are merely supplementary measures, and that the provision of quality services is always people-oriented. Given the frequent usage of public toilets, maintaining their cleanliness requires not only diligence, but also careful observation, timely problem-solving, and perseverance on the part of the attendants in providing high-standard services. Beyond being demanding, their work exhibits a professionalism that deserves our respect.

Regarding the management of public toilets, the FEHD is continuing to separate public toilet management services from street cleansing contracts by independently procuring these services under dedicated contracts in more districts to enhance competitiveness and management efficiency. The new contracts also explicitly require toilet attendants to receive relevant professional training and hold recognised qualifications. To date, over 1800 trainees have completed the training. In addition, the department's Minor Works Order Record System helps improve the efficiency of public toilet maintenance.

The FEHD's efforts to improve the quality of public toilet services have also won recognition. At the Ombudsman's Awards Presentation Ceremony 2026, the FEHD's cross-sectional team received the Team Award of The Ombudsman's Awards for its project titled "Enhancing Public Toilet Services with the Use of New Technologies and Optimised Inspection System". This honour not only recognises the department's achievements, but also encourages the team to strive for excellence and to continue to provide the public and visitors with better public toilet services.

A spokesman for the FEHD said, "The FEHD will continue to advance public toilet refurbishment works and smart management with a people-oriented and technology-driven approach in order to provide the public with higher quality facilities and a better environment of public toilets. Keeping public toilets clean in the long term also depends on the co-operation of various sectors of the community. We call on members of the public and visitors to take good care of public toilet facilities, keep them clean, show more understanding and co-operation towards our frontline staff, and work together to safeguard public hygiene in our city."

FEHD selects outstanding toilet attendants Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD selects outstanding toilet attendants Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD selects outstanding toilet attendants Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

FEHD selects outstanding toilet attendants Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases