1937年，日本藉七七盧溝橋事變進一步進侵中國，中日戰爭全面爆發。有見戰事迫在眉睫，香港政府亦意識到需要加強防禦工事，遂成立了專責防空措施的部門﹝Air Raid Precautions Department﹞。政府初時認為有必要用沙包保護公共建築物、增設滅火設備、貯藏藥物、購備呼吸器及保護衣物等，但認為沒有需要為市民興建防空隧道。
1939年6月29日的立法局會議上，當時在任的輔政司﹝Colonial Secretary﹞表示：
"After careful consideration the conclusion has been reached that apart from the enormous expense entailed it is not practicable to attempt any large scale schemes of protection for the general public such as tunnels, steel shelters and the like. Tunnels or other underground shelters could of course be constructed but the configuration of the land renders it impossible to place them so that access could be gained to them from the centres of dense population within the few minutes period of warning which is all that can be expected. The existence of such shelters would therefore be merely a temptation to people to leave the relatively greater safety of their homes. It appears to be certain that in most cases such fugitives would fail to reach their objectives in time."
其後一名姓名譯音「LI TSE-FONG」的華人議員在1939年11月16日的立法局會議上向政府力爭興建防空隧道：
"In the matter of expenditure under Air Raid Precautions I wish to draw the attention of Government to the total lack of provision for shelters for civilians who may be out in the open in time of emergency. I realise the peculiar formations of this Colony that make it almost impossible to provide shelter for everyone, but I venture to think that it may be possible at a small cost to build a number of small underground shelters or in the alternative to strengthen some of the public buildings in the City to provide for such an eventuality."
輔政司不為所動，冷淡回應：
"The same member again raises the question of providing Air Raid Precautions Shelters for the general population. On this subject I made a full statement at the meeting of this Council on 29th June, 1939, and there is, I fear, nothing that I can usefully add to that statement."
不知是否受了社會壓力，還是有見戰事愈演愈烈，港府於1940年中開始不惜大興土木，在港九多處建設了多條防空隧道﹝Air-raid Precaution﹝ARP﹞Tunnels﹞。1941年12月8日，日軍進攻香港，並開始炮轟及空襲多個戰略目標，期間不少市民躲進防空隧道。
參考資料：
- 1939年6月29日香港立法局會議會議記錄
- 1939年11月16日香港立法局會議會議記錄
