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The Transport Department (TD) today (October 24) said that the TD's Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre (ETCC) will continue to monitor the road traffic situation and public transport services in view of the unstable traffic situation amid the closure of a number of roads caused by protests on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon. The ETCC and the Police will also continue to carry out effective temporary traffic control measures to relieve congestion.
The TD observed that during peak hours this morning, traffic was still very busy and congested on Gloucester Road westbound in Wan Chai heading for Central due to the closure of a number of roads. Traffic lanes of Hennessy Road, Fenwick Street and Lockhart Road in Wan Chai will be intermittently closed from about 2pm tomorrow (October 25) for a public procession to be held in Wan Chai. Coupled with more people expected to drive to go out tomorrow as it will be the weekend, the TD called on motorists again to avoid driving to Hong Kong Island as far as possible.
In Kowloon, a number of road sections in Mong Kok, including Nathan Road southbound between Mong Kok Road and Dundas Street, Nathan Road northbound between Waterloo Road and Argyle Street, Argyle Street westbound between Nathan Road and Shanghai Street, and Shantung Street between Nathan Road and Tung Choi Street, are closed, leading to the diversion of a total of 85 bus routes which are travelling via Mong Kok.
Since a number of roads are not yet reopened, a total of 226 bus routes are still affected today with eight bus routes suspended and 218 bus routes diverted. A total of 20 green minibus routes travelling via Harcourt Road, Nathan Road and Argyle Street are still diverted or suspended or with service adjusted. Currently, the tram service between Percival Street and Paterson Street is still suspended. The MTR Corporation Limited continues to increase services for all urban lines to cope with passenger demand.
For details of road closure, traffic diversion, suspension and route diversion of green minibus services, please refer to the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk). Regarding temporary traffic arrangements for bus routes, please refer to the following bus companies' websites for details:
For routes of Citybus and New World First Bus: www.nwstbus.com.hk/en/uploadedFiles/OC2014/TAA.htm
For routes of Kowloon Motor Bus: www.kmb.hk/en
As there will be updates on bus services from time to time due to traffic changes, members of the public are advised to pay attention to the latest service arrangements announced by bus companies before starting their journeys.
Ends/Friday, October 24, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:58
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