This article is about KCRC as a corporation. For Kowloon-Canton Railway as a railway network, see KCR.

History

The Kowloon-Canton Railway had been operated as a department of the government, but in December of 1982, the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance was enacted, creating the KCRC. The KCRC continues to be wholly government owned and its operations are monitored by a managing board, members of which are appointed by the chief executive of Hong Kong.

The KCRC expanded its operations in 1984, accepting the government's invidation to build and operate the Light Rail network in the New Territories, which came into service in September of 1988. The KCRC started to develop and lease property around the same time. The frst joint-venture property development, Pierhead Garden , was completed in 1988. Today, profits generated from property and commercial services are used to fund railway service improvement projects and other strategic initiatives.

Projects currently under construction include a spur line running from Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau to create a second border crossing.

The West Rail, opened on December 20 2003, has been criticised by passengers with its relatively high fare, inconvenient station locations, and failure to connect to the heart of the urban area. Due to its relative lack of advantages to the bus, the actual number of passengers that use the West Rail has been less than expected, generating a great loss for the KCRC.

At the end of 2004, two extensions were commissioned: the extension of the East Rail from the Hung Hom terminus to Tsim Sha Tsui East was opened on October 24, 2004; and the Ma On Shan extension, which will link Ma On Shan with the East Rail at Tai Wai was opened on December 23, 2004

Railway operations

Within Hong Kong the network has the following major systems: East Rail, Light Rail, West Rail and Ma On Shan Rail. These lines are supported by feeder buses operated by Kowloon Motor Bus or the KCRC itself.

In addition the company jointly operates intercity services to and from Guangzhou and other cities in mainland China.

Property development

to be added

Future plans

The KCRC has also made proposals to plan, build, and operate the Kowloon Southern Link receiving permission for the project from the government on September 24 2002. The Kowloon Southern Link will connect the West Rail Nam Cheong station with the East Rail Tsim Sha Tsui East station. On June 25 2002 the government announced that KCRC had won its bid to build and operate the Sha Tin to Central Link . When the line is completed , the KCR network will cross Victoria Harbour and reach Hong Kong Island for the first time.

MTRCL-KCRC merger proposal

There has been some discussion of merging the two companies of KCR Corporation and the MTR Corporation Limited to make the territory's transport system more efficient. The MTRCL backs such a merge while the KCRC opposes the plan. In March 2004, the Hong Kong government officially encouraged the two organizations to merge.

See also:

• MTR Corporation Limited
• Transportation in Hong Kong
• List of Hong Kong companies
• List of Chinese companies

External links

• Official Site