“service” (服務) means railway service;
“transport interchange” (運輸交匯處) means any area, space or building delineated in plans certified by the Commissioner and deposited by the Corporation in the Land Registry under section 31.
(2) Reference in this Ordinance to construction of the railway is a reference to undertaking every stage of the process beginning with its design and planning and ending when the railway is brought into operation.
3. Appointed day
The Secretary may, by notice in the Gazette, designate a day to be the appointed day for the purposes of this Ordinance.
PART II
Grant and Extension of Franchise
4. Grant of franchise to Corporation to operate railway
(1) Subject to this Ordinance, the Corporation is granted the franchise, for a period of 50 years from the appointed day—
- (a) to operate the Mass Transit Railway, including any extension to the railway;
- (b) to construct any extension to the railway.
(2) The terms and conditions agreed between the Government and the Corporation as having effect with respect to the franchise granted under this section are those set out in the operating agreement.
5. Extension of franchise
(1) At any time or times during the franchise period, but not later than 5 years before the expiry of that period, the Corporation may apply to the Chief Executive in Council for an extension of the franchise.
(2) An application for extension of the franchise under this section—
- (a) shall be made by notice to the Secretary; and
- (b) shall be accompanied by all materials that the Corporation wishes to put forward in support of the application.
(3) The Secretary shall submit to the Chief Executive in Council a report setting out his recommendation as to whether, having regard to all relevant considerations (including any provision of the operating agreement relating to the extension of the franchise), the Corporation’s franchise should be extended.
