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7.10.6 The Diamond Hill LRT project was not evaluated without the Ma On Shan LRT, butestimates of the impact on economic results of omitting that line can be made. Asindicated above, projected passenger volumes on the Diamond Hill LRT would dropby about one third in the absence of the Ma On Shan LRT. Assuming revenues andeconomic benefits drop proportionately, the economic returns on the project wouldstill be rated HIGH with full time savings, dropping to MEDIUM with only one thirdof time savings counted.7.10.7 Taking Diamond Hill and Ma On Shan results together (which probably exaggeratesbenefits) the financial returns are rated as LOW for 1996 but MEDIUM for 2001.Economic returns for the joint project are rated as MEDIUM counting all timebenefits, but LOW with one third of time savings.Conclusions7.10.8 On the assumptions tested, the Diamond Hill LRT as an extension of the Ma OnShan LRT would represent a good rail-based transport investment. However, likeother light rail lines examined, the projected passenger volumes by 1996 alreadyreach design capacity and could well exceed capacity under other assumptions,in particular with stronger population growth in the corridor, with differentassumptions on fare structures and with an East Kowloon line built south ofDiamond Hill. The extension of the MTR East Kowloon Line to Sha Tin would offermuch greater capacity and would be the more natural project for this corridor. Hencea decision on the Diamond Hill LRT depends on a final decision on the East KowloonLine.7.11 KCR Main Line Extensions to Tsim Tsui and Sheung Wan7.11.1 The KCR main line currently terminates at Hung Horn which, while quite satisfactoryfor international passengers, is not very convenient for most of the urban railcommuters using the line. As a consequence, most passengers destined for the mainurban area of Kowloon or Hong Kong Island change at Kowloon Tong to the MTRsystem.7.11.2 CTS-2 looked at a proposal to improve the accessibility of the KCR main line byconstructing a-branch line from the KCR main line, starting at Mong Kok, runningalong the pre-1975 alignment of the KCR parallel with Chatham Road, andterminating near the Kowloon terminus of the Star Ferry. This branch line would beunderground for most of its length. An intermediate station would be provided toserve Tsim Sha Tsui East, and underground walkways would be provided to connectto the MTR station at Tsim Sha Tsui. With this branch line, the main line suburbanservices were assumed to terminate at Star Ferry on Kowloon side while theinternational traffic and freight traffic would continue to use Hung Horn Station.A further extension of this line across the Harbour to Hong Kong Island at SheungWan was also examined.Patronage Projections7.11.3 Passenger volumes were projected as follows (in thousands of passengers per day):Extension toMariner OnlyExtension toSheung Wan1996 2001 1996 2001Mong Kok to Hung Horn 162 177 101 111Mong Kok to TST East 165 195 311 366TST East to Star Ferry 100 123 240 295Cross-Harbour 193 237141