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The Transport Department (TD) today (June 29) reminded the public that special traffic and public transport arrangements would be implemented on Sunday (July 1) to facilitate the holding of six public events on Hong Kong Island on that day.
The special traffic and transport arrangements will include:
I. Flag-raising ceremony and inauguration ceremony of the Chief Executive from 8am to 10am
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(A) Road closure
To enable the flag-raising ceremony to be held from 8am to 9am at Golden Bauhinia Square and the inauguration of the Chief Executive to be held from 9am to 10am at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai, the roads near the HKCEC (Phase II) will be closed from noon on June 30 to noon on July 1.
(B) Public transport service
* Expo Drive East Bus Terminus will be suspended from 7am on June 30 to about noon on July 1. A total of five bus routes (Citybus routes 25A and 25C, and New World First Bus (NWFB) routes H2, 373A and 961) operating at the affected area will be temporarily diverted;
* Bus stops along Harbour Road (except the bus stop outside Wan Chai Swimming Pool) and a bus stop at Lung Wui Road eastbound opposite Citic Tower will be suspended from 5.30am on June 30 to about 2.30pm on July 1. A total of five bus routes (NWFB routes 18, 18P, 43X, 373A and 914X) and a residents' service route (88R) will be temporarily diverted; and
* The taxi stand at Expo Drive will be suspended from 7am on June 30 to about noon on July 1.
II. Celebration event at the Hong Kong Stadium from 8am to 12.45pm
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(A) Road closure
The following road closure and traffic diversion arrangements will be implemented from 7.30am to facilitate the arrival of spectators:
* The section of Caroline Hill Road between its eastern junction with Leighton Road and Cotton Path (except for vehicles heading for St. Paul's Hospital during the closure of Tung Lo Wan Road) will be closed;
* The section of Hysan Avenue westbound between Sunning Road and Hoi Ping Road will be closed; and
* Caroline Hill Road and Eastern Hospital Road will be rerouted as one-way southbound and one-way northbound respectively.
The following roads will be closed from about 12.05pm to facilitate the dispersal of spectators:
* Caroline Hill Road;
* The section of Eastern Hospital Road between Caroline Hill Road and Cotton Path;
* Eastern Hospital Road service road;
* Cotton Path;
* Link Road northbound downhill (except for vehicles heading for Link Road No. 1A, 3, 5 and 7) (if necessary);
* Hoi Ping Road; and
* Leighton Road (if necessary).
(B) Public transport service
During the period of road closure, Citybus route 5B and Green Mini-Bus routes 14M, 26 and 30 will be temporarily diverted.
III. Public procession from Victoria Park to Central Government Offices at Tamar from 3pm
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IV. Public procession from Queensway Government Offices to Liaison Office of the Central People's Government from 6pm
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V. Public procession from Central Government Offices in Tamar to Liaison Office of the Central People's Government from 7pm
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* The first procession will depart from Victoria Park for the destination at the Central Government Offices in Tamar, via Causeway Road westbound, Irving Street westbound, Pennington Street northbound, Yee Wo Street westbound, Hennessy Road westbound, Queensway westbound, across Queensway eastbound, Rodney Street, Harcourt Road westbound, Harcourt Road eastbound and Tim Mei Avenue northbound.
* The second procession will depart from Queensway Government Offices for the destination at the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government (LOCPG), via Queensway westbound, Queen's Road Central, Queen's Road West, Chiu Kwong Street northbound, Des Voeux Road West eastbound, Western Street and the southern pavement of Connaught Road West (westward).
* The third procession will depart from the Central Government Offices at Tamar for the destination at the LOCPG, via Citic Tower footbridge, Pacific Place footbridge, Queensway westbound, Queen's Road Central, Queen's Road West, Western Street northbound and the southern pavement of Connaught Road West (westward).
(A) Road closure
* From about 1pm, the roads in the vicinity of Victoria Park and the Causeway Bay shopping area will be closed in phases.
* From about 2.30pm, westbound carriageways of Causeway Road, Yee Wo Street and Hennessy Road will be closed.
* From about 3pm, both bounds of Queensway and Harcourt Road, Rodney Street, Drake Street, Tamar Street, the section of Des Voeux Road Central eastbound between Pedder Street and Queensway and the roads in the vicinity of the Central Government Offices at Tamar will be closed.
* From about 6pm, Queen's Road Central, Queen's Road West, Western Street, the section of Chiu Kwong Street between Queen's Road West and Des Voeux Road West and the section of Des Voeux Road West between Western Street and Water Street will be closed.
VI. Fireworks Display at 8pm
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(A) Road closure
Road closure and traffic diversion will be implemented in phases on Hong Kong Island from 4pm onwards at Lower Peak Tram Station, Wan Chai, Central, the Peak and Island Eastern Corridor westbound between Victoria Park Road and Man Hong Street and from 6pm in Tsim Sha Tsui and Jordan in Kowloon until the crowd disperses and road closure is lifted.
(B) Public transport service
In connection with the road closure for the public events and the fireworks display, the following special public transport arrangements will be implemented:
* Bus and green minibus service
In connection with the road closure, some bus and green minibus stops/termini will be suspended or relocated. A total of 109 bus routes, 28 green minibus routes and a residents' service operating in the road closure areas on Hong Kong Island will be diverted, truncated or suspended. In Kowloon, a total of 35 bus routes and seven green minibus routes will be diverted, truncated or suspended. The service of some bus routes will be strengthened.
* MTR service
From 6pm to 10.30pm, Island Line, Tsuen Wan Line and Kwun Tong Line will be strengthened with a 3-minute headway; Tung Chung Line between Hong Kong and Tsing Yi will be strengthened with a 5-minute headway; and Tseung Kwan O Line will be strengthened with a headway of 4 minutes between North Point and Po Lam, and 12 minutes between Tiu Keng Leng and Lohas Park respectively. In addition, West Rail Line will be strengthened with a headway of 4 minutes from 8.30pm to 10.30pm.
* Tramways service
Normal holiday service will be operated and frequency of the tram services will be strengthened to meet passenger demand if necessary.
* Peak Tram service
The Peak Tram service will be strengthened to an 8-minute headway to meet passenger demand if necessary.
* Central to Mid-Levels Escalator and Walkway System
The service of the Central to Mid-levels Escalator and Walkway System will be extended to 2am on July 2.
* Cross-boundary coach service
The terminus of the cross-boundary coach service between Wan Chai and Huanggang at the Wan Chai Ferry Bus Terminus will be suspended from 6.30pm until the road closure is lifted. The terminating point of the service will be relocated to Luard Road northbound near Jaffe Road.
* Ferry service
Ferry companies will adjust their service to facilitate the holding of the Fireworks Display.
Bus stops/termini, tram stops, green minibus and public light bus stands/termini, taxi stands, parking meters and car parks located in road closure areas will be suspended.
Due to extensive road closure, it is anticipated that the traffic in Tsim Sha Tsui, Jordan, Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, Queensway, Central and Western districts, the Aberdeen Tunnel and the Cross Harbour Tunnel will be seriously congested. The traffic queue may take a long time to disperse.
Motorists are advised not to drive to the affected areas. People who plan to go to the affected areas are advised to use public transport services. Notices will be displayed by public transport operators on the planned temporary arrangements of route diversions/truncation, and suspension/relocation of stops. However, it is anticipated that the regularity of the road-based public transport service would be adversely affected by the traffic conditions.
Depending on the prevailing circumstances, the Police may extend the coverage of the road closures, including introduction of more ad-hoc traffic and public transport measures at short notice. In case of traffic congestion, motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and take heed of the instructions of the Police.
Members of the public are advised to follow the latest traffic news on television and radio stations. They can also visit the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk) or call the 1823 Call Centre for the latest traffic and transport information.
Ends/Friday, June 29, 2012
Issued at HKT 21:04
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