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After the heavy rainfall on June 7, large-scale landslides occurred at the natural slopes of Keung Shan Road near Sham Wat Road, blocking the only road access to Tai O. After days of round-the-clock emergency repair, urgent works have been completed. One of the lanes in the affected section of Keung Shan Road will be reopened at 10am tomorrow (June 20), and one-lane-two-way traffic will be maintained.
The service of the following New Lantao Bus routes will resume as normal:
Time of first
departure on
June 20
(as routine
Route Starting at schedule)
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1 (Mui Wo-Tai O) Tai O 10.30am
Mui Wo 10.10am
2 (Mui Wo - Ngong Ping) Ngong Ping 12.10pm
Mui Wo 10.10am
11 (Tai O – Tai O 10.15am
Tung Chung Tung Chung 10.15am
Town Centre) Town Centre
21 (Tai O – Ngong Ping 10.35am
Ngong Ping) Tai O 10.15am
23 (Tung Chung Ngong Ping 10.10am
Town Centre- Tung Chung 10.10am
Ngong Ping) Town Centre
The bus services of the overnight route N1 from Mui Wo to Tai O and route 1R which operates only on Sundays and public holidays from Hung Hom to Ngong Ping will also return to normal. The special departures of route 21 (Tai O – Ngong Ping) will continue until the resumption of normal bus services.
After this section of Keung Shan Road is reopened with limited access and bus services resume, the special ferry service between Tai O and Tung Chung provided by the Transport Department (TD) will cease operation from June 22 (Sunday). Residents may continue to use the regular ferry service plying between Tuen Mun, Tung Chung, Sha Lo Wan and Tai O.
A Highways Department spokesman said that the emergency repair to the affected section of Keung Shan Road was completed. However, it was necessary to carry out the works for safety barriers and other road facilities. The Highways Department will speed up the works in order to reopen the road for two-lane traffic as soon as possible.
The Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) of the Civil Engineering and Development Department is still assessing the residual landslide risks of the natural slopes along Keung Shan Road and Tai O Road. On the GEO's advice, the two roads will be temporarily closed whenever a red/black rainstorm warning or a landslip warning is issued to ensure public safety. Motorists should watch out for announcements.
The temporary closure of Keung Shan Road and Tai O Road will affect the road transport service to Tai O. The TD will liaise closely with relevant government departments and public transport operators and issue the latest traffic news via the media, the TD hotlines (Tel: 2804 2600 and 183 4567), the Islands District Office and Tai O Rural Committee. The New Lantao Bus Company will also provide a hotline service at 2984 9848, so that residents can be kept informed of the latest transport arrangements as well as the road reopening situation.
Ends/Thursday, June 19, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:47
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