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Police call on members of the public to stay away from Kai Tak and Chek Lap Kok airports and nearby areas during the crucial phase of airport relocation from next Sunday (July 5) till the following day.

During the move scheduled to start at 5.30 pm on July 5 until 6.30 am the following day, some 1 200 vehicles will be relocating on roads linking the old and new airports.

Chairing a press conference today (Friday) on the traffic arrangements and road closures for the relocation of the airport on Sunday, Senior Superintendent, Operations, Mr Fung Kwok-on, said the move was a major operation that needed to be completed with a frame of tight time.

Superintendent, Operations, Mr Steve Wordsworth, who has co-ordinated this operation noted, "This is a working event with no provision for spectators."

To maintain the operations of Kai Tak Airport whilst allowing the relocation to proceed, Police officers on the ground will perform traffic and crowd management duties.

Mr Wordsworth advised people not to turn out to watch the relocation as their presence would possibly delay the move.

To minimise disruption to normal airport operations, some traffic arrangements will be implemented and as a result, delays can be expected on the roads in the vicinity of Kai Tak and leading to Chek Lap Kok.

"People taking a flight from Kai Tak on July 5 or from Chek Lap Kok on July 6 should allow extra time for travelling and make use of public transport as far as possible," he said.

"Other members of the public are advised to keep away unless they have legitimate business at the airport," he stressed.

The following traffic arrangements will be implemented in the vicinity of Kai Tak at the commencement of the relocation on July 5 night.

A section of Concorde Road to the east of the Passenger Terminal Building, Eastern Road and Cargo Circuit, will be closed to facilitate relocation from 5.30 pm on Sunday.

Franchised buses and public light buses that normally enter or pass through this area will be diverted.

As regards access to Kai Tak, members of the public should make use of Olympic Avenue from Kowloon City or enter the Departure Circuit via the up-ramp at Prince Edward Road east-bound adjacent to the Airport Hotel.

Motorists from Kowloon East can use Prince Edward Road west-bound and turn into Kai Tak at Hang Wan Road.

Meanwhile, the upper two floors including the rooftop of Kai Tak Airport Multi-storey Car Park will be closed to the public including pedestrians starting from 7 am. People intending to travel to Kai Tak by their own vehicles should note that parking will be limited.

About 90 per cent of the relocation traffic will take the Northern Route which runs along Kai Cheung Road, Wai Yip Street, Kwun Tong Road, Lung Cheung Road, Ching Cheung Road, Route 3, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Tsing Ma Bridge and into Chek Lap Kok Airport.

The Southern Route, from To Kwa Wan Road, Sun Shan Road, East Kowloon Way, Gascoigne Road, Jordan Road to Route 3, is required for certain slow moving vehicles and as a fall-back in the unlikely event that the Northern Route is completely blocked.

Special road closures on the Northern Route will be implemented from 10 pm on July 5 as follows:

A section of the Northern Route - westbound Lung Cheung Road from Choi Hung Interchange and onto Ching Cheung Road will be closed to traffic. Only relocation traffic and franchised buses will be allowed on the route.

Access to westbound Lung Cheung and Ching Cheung Roads is closed at various intersections.

The closed roads will be reopen to the public at about 6 am on July 6.

On the New Territories side, lane closures on Route 3 in the vicinity of Kwai Chung, across the Tsing Ma Bridge and North Lantau Highway will be implemented to facilitate the relocation traffic.

The viewing platform of the Tsing Ma Bridge will be closed in the evening of July 5.

As regards access to the new airport at Chek Lap Kok, the roads to the passenger terminal building will open to the public at about 2 am on July 6.

Motorists on the day must be ready for traffic delays in the vicinity of Kai Tak and on the routes to Chek Lap Kok. They are asked to be patient and always follow the instructions given by Police officers at all times.

Police Report No.5

Issued by PPRB

End/1745 hours, Friday, June 26, 1998 (EL/TL)

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