*************************************

The Transport Department will implement a bus lane scheme for Pok Oi Roundabout from 7 am on Wednesday (June 24) to alleviate traffic congestion in the area.

Under the scheme, a section of Pok Oi Roundabout between the entry and the exit of Yuen Long Highway will be designated a bus lane for franchised buses between 7 am and 8 pm daily.

Speaking on the scheme, a spokesman for the department said today (Monday) that the scheme would help improve traffic flow from Yuen Long Highway northbound.

He said: "During the period, all traffic, except franchised buses, from Route 3 southbound approach heading for Yuen Long Town Centre will not be allowed to turn right onto Castle Peak Road - Yuen Long via Pok Oi Roundabout.

"This will facilitate traffic flow from Yuen Long Highway northbound approach to the roundabout."

Affected motorists on Route 3 southbound approach to the roundabout may take the following routings to reach Yuen Long Town Centre:

* turn left onto Castle Peak Road and U-turn at Au Tau Roundabout; or

* route through Yuen Long Highway southbound and U-turn at Shap Pat Heung Roundabout.

To assist motorists, 13 directional signs for alternative route guidance will be installed in the vicinity.

The spokesman pointed out that the bus lane scheme was one of the traffic management schemes, endorsed by the Provisional Yuen Long District Board, to provide relief to Pok Oi Roundabout.

"After the opening of Tai Lam Tunnel, vehicles are found queuing up on Yuen Long Highway northbound approach to the roundabout during morning and evening peak hours," he said.

"On the southbound approach, a vehicle queue is observed in the evening peak hour only when the flow from urban areas to Yuen Long and Tin Shui Wai via Tai Lam Tunnel is greater that in other periods."

Other management schemes that have been implemented include:

* Police officers have been deployed to regulate traffic at the roundabout during peak hours;

* arrangements have been made to maintain a gap on San Tin Highway southbound to allow motorists from the New Territories North to continue to use Castle Peak Road southbound and Au Tau Roundabout for access to Yuen Long until the completion of Pok Oi Flyover; and

* additional directional signs have been erected on Long Tin Road to direct motorists from Tin Shui Wai heading for Kowloon to use alternative routes via Yuen Long Town Centre in lieu of Yuen Long Highway for access to Tai Lam Tunnel.

To enable franchised buses to bypass the congestion at Pok Oi Roundabout, the department is also planning to modify the layout of the junction of Kam Tin Road and Route 3 slip road to allow franchised buses from urban areas to turn left at this junction to proceed to Yuen Long Town Centre.

Modification works are expected to be completed in the next few months.

End/Monday, June 22, 1998

NNNN