Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Vai Man said yesterday that the government is studying the feasibility of expanding the city’s Light Rapid Transit (LRT) network, with the aim of creating a circle route* serving the peninsula, covering districts such as Fai Chi Kei, Inner Harbour, Nam Van, and Sai Van.
Tam made the remarks during yesterday’s one-day Q&A session in the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) hemicycle about his portfolio’s policy guidelines for this year.
Macau’s LRT system currently comprises Taipa Line, Seac Pai Van Line, and Hengqin Line in operation. The Taipa Line serves Taipa and Cotai with its extended section connecting to the peninsula’s Barra through the lower enclosed deck of the Macau-Taipa Sai Van Bridge.
The Seac Pai Van Line connects the Taipa Line’s Cotai section with Coloane’s sprawling Seac Pai Van public housing neighbourhood, while the Hengqin Line connects the Taipa Line’s Cotai section with the Macau-side zone of the Hengqin joint checkpoint.
Currently, the only ongoing LRT project is the East Line project connecting the Barrier Gate checkpoint at the peninsula’s northern tip and the Taipa Ferry Terminal via the Zone A and Zone E1 land reclamation areas. The East Line will cross the sea between Zone A and Zone E1 through an undersea tunnel.
The government is currently planning a project to extend the LRT East Line to the Qingmao pedestrian border checkpoint in Ilha Verde from the Barrier Gate.
The ongoing LRT East Line project, without the projected extension to the Qingmao checkpoint, is scheduled to be completed in 2028, which the government is aiming to open in 2029.
During yesterday’s Q&A session, Tam underlined the government’s commitment to constantly expanding the city’s LRT network as well as its ongoing efforts to ensure the ongoing LRT East Line project’s completion as scheduled.
Moreover, Tam said, the government has launched a study on the feasibility of expanding the LRT system to other areas in the city in the future.
Pointing out that Macau’s LRT has been in service for several years, the policy secretary underlined the need for its network to continue expanding in line with the city’s continuous socioeconomic development.
More specifically, Tam said, the government is studying the feasibility of building the LRT West Line connecting the Qingmao checkpoint with Fai Chi Kei, from where it would run along the Inner Harbour to Barra at the peninsula’s south-western tip.
According to Tam, the government is also studying the feasibility of building an LRT line connecting the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge’s (HZMB) Macau checkpoint and its adjacent Zone A from where it would run to the peninsula’s Nam Van and Sai Van districts via its Outer Harbour district before finally arriving at Barra.
Tam noted that the two projected LRT lines would form a circle route serving the peninsula.
Tam also underlined that according to the experience about urban metro development in other countries and regions, more LRT lines to come into service in Macau in the future would lead to an exponential growth in the number of passengers, in the wake of which, he said, the government expects the LRT to become Macau’s major means of public transport in the future.
Tam also acknowledged the still limited choice of e-payment methods used for LRT rides, which was not meeting residents’ needs. He said that the government was determined to tackle the issue in the near future so that passengers would be able to use more e-payment methods, but he admitted that the government does not yet have an exact schedule as to when it expects to be able to solve the payment matter.
Smaller-scale urban redevelopment projects
Meanwhile, Tam also said during yesterday’s Q&A session that in addition to advancing large-scale urban redevelopment projects such as the ongoing plan to redevelop seven dilapidated residential estates comprising low-rise buildings in Iao Hon district, the government will now also place special emphasis on redeveloping single old buildings across the city.
Tam said that the government has selected an old building which was previously used as a dormitory for the Post and Telecommunications Bureau (CTT) staff located near the Red Market for an urban redevelopment project, adding that the government will launch the building redevelopment project in the near future.
Tam also said that the project would be an example showing residents the government’s commitment to advancing the city’s urban renewal process.
3 plots for temporary sports facilities
Meanwhile, Tam also said during yesterday’s Q&A session that three government plots, the permanent use of which has still not been decided, will be earmarked in the near future for the setting-up of recreational and sports facilities on a temporary basis.
According to Tam, the three plots will comprise one near the headquarters of the Fire Services Bureau (CB) in Sai Van Lake district, one in central Taipa, and one in Zone A.
*While a circle route forms a complete closed loop, a loop line typically refers to a branch line that diverges from the main route, forms a loop, and then rejoins the main line. – DeepSeek
Secretary for Transport and Public Works Raymond Tam Vai Man addresses yesterday’s Q&A session about his portfolio’s 2025 policy guidelines in the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) hemicycle. – Photo: GCS
