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The second stage of the reduction of the Frontier Closed Area (FCA), covering the section between Lok Ma Chau Boundary Control Point to Ng Tung River, will be implemented on June 10, 2013, when the Frontier Closed Area (Amendment) Order 2013, which specifies the new FCA boundary, comes into effect.
"Following the first stage of FCA reduction in February 2012, the second stage will release more than 710 hectares of land from the FCA," a spokesman for the Security Bureau said today (April 3).
"Together with the more than 740 hectares of land already excised in the first-stage reduction of the FCA, more than 1 450 hectares, or over 50 per cent of the original FCA will have been excised upon the implementation of the second stage. Six villages will benefit from this stage of implementation," he added.
The spokesman said that the exercise sought to reduce the FCA to the minimum necessary for the protection of public order, allowing local residents and members of the public free access to the territory released from the FCA.
In order to reduce the FCA while maintaining the integrity of the boundary, the Government has to construct a secondary boundary fence along the boundary patrol road. The FCA reduction is divided into three phases to tie in with the progress of the fence construction in different parts of the boundary.
The first stage implemented last year covers the sections between Mai Po and the Lok Ma Chau Boundary Control Point, and Lin Ma Hang and Sha Tau Kok. The fence construction works for the second stage, covering the section between Lok Ma Chau Control Point and Ng Tung River, have been largely completed. The third-stage, covering the section between Ng Tung River and Lin Ma Hang, is scheduled for implementation in 2015.
To implement the second-stage reduction, the Government has to amend the Frontier Closed Area Order (Cap. 245A) and the Frontier Closed Area (Permission to Enter) Notice (Cap. 245H). The legislative amendments will be tabled before the Legislative Council on April 17 for its consideration.
As the FCA is reduced, the closed road restriction within the excised area will also be lifted. Starting from June 10, vehicles will be free to use the roads in the area to be excised in the second-stage reduction, but they will have to follow other traffic restrictions applicable to individual road sections.
On the day of implementation, the existing signs indicating the FCA restriction will be covered at midnight. New signs will be erected at the new boundary. The Police will monitor the traffic situation closely and increase patrols along the main roads in the area, and will implement traffic contingency measures if necessary.
The plan to substantially reduce the coverage of the FCA from about 2 800 hectares to about 400 hectares was announced in 2008 following a wide consultation exercise.
Ends/Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:01
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