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Third stage of reduction of Frontier Closed Area to be implemented
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     The third stage of the reduction of the Frontier Closed Area (FCA) will be implemented on January 4, 2016 (Monday), a spokesman for the Security Bureau said today (December 30).

     This stage of FCA reduction covers the area near the boundary between River Indus (Ng Tung River) and Lin Ma Hang. More than 900 hectares of land will be released from the FCA. Local residents and other members of the public will no longer require a Closed Area Permit to enter the released area.

     To implement the third-stage reduction, the Government has amended the Frontier Closed Area Order (Cap. 245A) and the Frontier Closed Area (Permission to Enter) Notice (Cap. 245H). The amended law will come into effect on January 4, 2016.
   
     Members of the public should note that the MTR Lo Wu Station, Lo Wu Control Point and Man Kam To Control Point will remain in the FCA after the reduction. Only boundary-crossing passengers using specified modes of transport or holders of Closed Area Permits are permitted to enter the relevant areas.

     "This will bring the whole FCA reduction exercise to completion. The remaining FCA will only cover the Police's boundary patrol road and the limited land to its north, the boundary control points, Sha Tau Kok Town, Starling Inlet and parts of Mai Po, covering only about 400 hectares, a substantive reduction compared with the original 2,800 hectares," the spokesman said.

     Starting from January 4, 2016, the closed road restriction for vehicles within the released area will also be lifted. Vehicles will be free to use the roads in the area, but they will have to follow other traffic instructions and restrictions. The Police will monitor the traffic situation closely, increase patrols along the main roads in the area, and implement traffic contingency measures if necessary.

     Following a wide consultation exercise, the Government announced in 2008 the plan to reduce the coverage of the FCA in three stages. The first and second stages of FCA reduction were implemented in February 2012 and June 2013 respectively.

Ends/Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Issued at HKT 15:01

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