Editing Central–Mid-Levels escalator (section)

=== Origins ===
The project was first publicly mooted in the early 1980s. The government found that much of the east-west traffic in the area arose from north-south travel demand, as the steep topography did not allow for major roads to be built straight up the hill. There was talk of linking Central and Mid-Levels with escalators, a [[monorail]], or a [[Cable railway|cable-car]] system.<ref name="gotowork">{{cite news|last1=Lo|first1=Francis|title=Go to work – by escalator|work=South China Morning Post|date=28 February 1982|page=1}}</ref>

In late 1982, private consultants Peter Y.S. Pun and Associates and [[MVA Asia]] were commissioned to investigate traffic improvement measures in Central.<ref name="privatefirm">{{cite news|last1=Li|first1=Francis|title=Private firm could run Mid-Levels escalator|work=South China Morning Post|date=30 March 1984|page=18}}</ref> In their report entitled ''A Study of the Transport Requirements of the Mid-Levels and Central District'', the consultant recommended, among other things, to build an "escalator assisted pedestrian route" linking Mid-Levels to the existing [[Central Elevated Walkway]] system and a new bus terminus that they proposed should be built on the site of the [[Central Market, Hong Kong|Central Market]].<ref name="ambitious">{{cite news|title=Ambitious traffic plans for Central|work=South China Morning Post|date=24 February 1984|page=14}}</ref><ref name="privatefirm"/> This proposal was well-received by Mid-Levels residents.<ref name="thumbsup">{{cite news|last1=Lau|first1=C.K.|title=Thumbs up for Central escalators|work=South China Morning Post|date=9 April 1984|page=14}}</ref>