New Plans for Pak Shek Kok MTR Station and Local Infrastructure
白石角捷運站及本地基礎建設新計劃
Introduction
The Hong Kong government has suggested a new development plan for the Pak Shek Kok MTR station, which includes moving university facilities and using a phased payment system.
香港政府建議白石角捷運站採取一項新發展計劃，其中包括搬遷大學設施及使用分階段支付系統。
Main Body
The plan involves building a two-storey station near the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Science Park. This change aims to make travel more efficient, as it is expected to reduce travel time to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island by about 20 minutes. To make room for this, the Education University of Hong Kong (EduHK) will move its sports center from Pak Shek Kok to its main campus in Tai Po. This process is expected to start in late 2028 and finish by 2031, which will help centralize student services.
該計劃涉及在香港中文大學與科學園附近建造一座兩層的車站。此舉旨在提高交通效率，預計前往九龍與香港島的通勤時間可減少約 20 分鐘。為了騰出空間，香港教育大學（EduHK）將把其位於白石角的體育中心遷至大埔主校區。此過程預計將於 2028 年底開始，並於 2031 年完工，以利於集中學生服務。
Regarding the project's funding, the government is using a "station first, housing later" strategy. Under this plan, the government will give the MTR Corporation land in Ma On Shan and the old EduHK sports center site for private housing. This ensures that the station can open by 2033 without waiting for the houses to be finished. Lawmaker Holden Chow and district councillor Lo Hiu-fung emphasized that this method reduces the cost to taxpayers by using property sales to fund the project. Furthermore, the MTR Corporation stated that the East Rail Line has enough capacity, although they may increase the number of trains to handle more passengers.
關於項目的資金，政府採取「車站先行，房屋在後」的策略。根據此計劃，政府將把馬鞍山的土地以及原 EduHK 體育中心的場地交給港鐵公司開發私人住宅。這能確保車站於 2033 年前啟用，無需等待住宅完工。立法議員周浩儀與區議員盧曉峰強調，此方法利用物業銷售資金資助項目，能減輕納稅人的負擔。此外，港鐵公司表示東鐵線的運能充足，但可能會增加班次以處理更多乘客。
Conclusion
The project is still in the planning stage, and the Tai Po District Council will soon discuss the proposal.
該項目目前仍處於規劃階段，大埔區議會將於近期討論該建議。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 The 'B2 Leap': Moving from Simple Facts to Complex Cause-and-Effect
At the A2 level, you describe what is happening. To reach B2, you must explain why and how things connect.
Look at this phrase from the text:
"This ensures that the station can open by 2033 without waiting for the houses to be finished."
💡 The Power of "Ensure"
Instead of saying "This makes it possible," a B2 speaker uses ensure. It sounds more professional and certain.
A2 Style: "They sell land so they have money for the station." B2 Style: "Selling land ensures that the project remains funded."
🛠️ Master the 'Purpose' Structure
Notice how the text connects a goal to an action:
- "...to make room for this..."
- "...to handle more passengers..."
To sound more fluent, stop using "because" for everything. Start using "In order to" or "With the aim of."
| A2 (Basic) | B2 (Advanced Bridge) |
|---|---|
| They move the sports center because they need space. | The sports center is being moved in order to create space for the station. |
| They add more trains to take more people. | The MTR may increase train frequency with the aim of handling higher passenger volumes. |
📈 The 'Passive' Shift
B2 English often focuses on the action rather than the person.
- Text Example: "...is expected to start in late 2028..."
Instead of saying "I think it will start," use "It is expected to..." This makes you sound objective and academic.
Try this mental switch:
- ❌ "The government will build a station." (A2)
- ✅ "A station is planned to be built." (B2)