The Transport Department (TD) today (November 10) reminded the public that to facilitate the holding of the Hong Kong Island 10K City Race 2017 this Sunday (November 12), a number of special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in Hong Kong Island North, including change of bus services.

     The race will start at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and then take a route via Expo Drive East, Convention Avenue, Hung Hing Road, Marsh Road and the Marsh Road flyover, Lockhart Road, Percival Street, Hennessy Road, Yee Wo Street, Sugar Street, Gloucester Road, the Victoria Road flyover and the section of the Island Eastern Corridor between North Point and Causeway Bay, and finish at Hung Hing Road outside Wan Chai Sports Ground.

     To facilitate the holding of the race, extensive road closures (including the section of the Island Eastern Corridor between North Point and Causeway Bay, the section of Hennessy Road eastbound near Causeway Bay, Yee Wo Street eastbound and the roads in the vicinity of Wan Chai North) will be implemented in stages in Hong Kong Island North.

     A spokesman for the TD noted that it is anticipated that traffic in the affected areas and the major roads in the vicinity, such as Gloucester Road, Victoria Park Road, Fleming Road, the Canal Road flyover, Hennessy Road, Percival Street, Pennington Street, Leighton Road, King's Road, Java Road, the Cross Harbour Tunnel and the Aberdeen Tunnel, will become significantly more congested than the traffic on normal Sundays.

     Motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected or congested areas, especially in the vicinity of North Point and Wan Chai, unless necessary. In case of road closure and traffic diversion, motorists should follow the instructions of the Police on-site and the road signs, and stay alert to the latest traffic news through the media.

     Owing to extensive road closures in the vicinity of North Point and Wan Chai, 79 bus routes and 11 green minibus routes will be diverted, and the bus terminus on Expo Drive East, the Wan Chai North Temporary Public Transport Interchange and the bus terminus on Whitfield Road will be suspended. The public transport operators will display notices on-site to inform passengers of the temporary arrangements.

     The spokesman appeals members of the public to plan their journeys early and use alternative travelling routes to avoid unexpected delays, as well as take public transport services (particularly railway services) when going to the aforesaid areas. Public transport commuters are advised to pay attention to the arrangements of route diversions and changes of stop locations.

     The special traffic and transport arrangements will mainly include:

Road closures and traffic arrangements
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1. The following major roads will be temporarily closed in stages from about 1.45am:
 
- Expo Drive;
- Expo Drive East;
- Convention Avenue;
- Tonnochy Road;
- Hung Hing Road;
- Marsh Road and the Marsh Road flyover;
- The section of Lockhart Road eastbound between Marsh Road and Percival Street;
- The section of Percival Street between Lockhart Road and Hennessy Road;
- The section of Hennessy Road eastbound between Percival Street and Yee Wo Street;
- The section of Yee Wo Street eastbound between Hennessy Road and Sugar Street;
- Sugar Street;
- The section of Gloucester Road between Gloucester Road service road and Causeway Road; and
- The section of the Island Eastern Corridor between North Point and Causeway Bay (both directions).

2. The on-street parking spaces within the closed road areas and the vicinity (such as Jaffe Road) will be suspended, and vehicles in car parks within the road closure areas may not be permitted to enter or leave the car parks during the road closure period.

Public transport services
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1. A total of 79 bus routes and 11 green minibus routes will be diverted;

2. The bus terminus at Expo Drive East, the Wan Chai North Temporary Public Transport Interchange and the bus terminus on Whitfield Road will be suspended in stages from about 1.45am;

3. Bus stops, taxi stands, public light bus/green minibus stands and cross-boundary coach stops within the closed roads and the vicinity (such as Leighton Road and Pennington Street) and the tram stop on Percival Street will be suspended; and

4. Nine special bus services will be operated to serve runners going to Wan Chai on the race day.

     Other ad-hoc traffic and public transport measures, including adjusting the extent of road closure, traffic diversion and alteration and suspension of public transport services, may be implemented by the Police at short notice depending on the actual traffic and crowd conditions. Public light bus and taxi drivers who wish to go to Wan Chai North for refilling are advised to take note of the road closure arrangements implemented in the areas. The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary.

     For details of the race, members of the public can browse the Hong Kong Amateur Athletic Association's website (hkaaa.com/en/comp_details.php?id=106). For enquiries on the special traffic and transport arrangements, members of the public can call 1823 or browse the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk) for more details.

Ends/Friday, November 10, 2017
Issued at HKT 12:43

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