Cross-Harbour Tunnel fully opens from 5am tomorrow
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     The Cross-Harbour Tunnel (CHT) will be re-opened to all traffic from 5am tomorrow (November 27). The Transport Department (TD) reminds motorists and member of the public to pay attention to the following traffic arrangements before starting their journeys.
 
Traffic arrangements
 
     From 5am tomorrow, all four lanes of both bounds of the CHT will be re-opened to traffic. The approach roads to CHT will be re-opened in phases by the Police depending on the prevailing traffic situation.  Motorists are advised to pay attention to the instructions of the police officers at the scene.
 
Arrangements for toll lanes and toll collection
 
     All toll lanes, including seven autotoll and nine manual toll lanes, at the Kowloon side Toll Plaza, will be open simultaneously. The positions of autotoll and manual toll lanes remain unchanged.
 
     Regarding manual toll collection, motorists can continue to pay the toll in cash. If possible, they can give the exact change to save time. While it takes times to repair the "stop-and-go" e-Payment facilities and related systems at toll booths, motorists can pay by Octopus through the hand-held Octopus machines of the tunnel operator. Although toll collection system for contactless credit cards is still under repair and cannot be used temporarily, the current arrangement can meet the needs of most drivers as few of them use this payment method.
 
Bus services and other public transport arrangements
 
     The bus stops on both sides of the Toll Plaza will be reopened simultaneously. All bus routes originally routing the CHT (including nine routes re-routed via Eastern Harbour Crossing and Western Harbour Crossing, i.e. 101X, 107, 108, 111, 115, 116, 118, 182 and special departure 182X during evening peak hours) will resume their normal routeings via the CHT starting from the first departures tomorrow. The TD will erect directional signs on the pedestrian pathways/footbridges leading to the Toll Plaza to remind the public of the routes to various destinations and bus stops. The bus operators will also deploy additional staff to maintain order.
 
     Exit A and D of the MTR Hung Hom station will be re-opened to facilitate passengers commuting between the bus stops. Besides, the two routes of special free ferry services between Kowloon City and Wan Chai and between Hung Hom and Wan Chai provided for the closure of the CHT will operate until November 29 (Friday).
 
Footbridge

     The north and south footbridges across the Toll Plaza (except the sections connecting to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Hong Tai Path) will be re-opened at the same time. For security consideration, water-filled barriers and nets will be put on both sides of the footbridges. Crowd control measures will be implemented on the footbridges when necessary, for instance, to separate the eastward and westward pedestrian flow. Commuters can also consider using the pavement near the Salisbury Road to walk between Hung Hom station and East Tsim Sha Tsui. Universal accessibility facilities on both sides of the footbridges are still under repair.

     Temporary traffic measures will be implemented on roads in the vicinity of CHT. Motorists are advised to drive carefully and exercise tolerance and patience when driving through roads concerned.

     The Emergency Transport Coordination Centre of the TD will closely monitor the traffic and public transport arrangements with relevant Government departments, tunnel operators and public transport operators.  Members of the public are advised to allow more travelling time and plan their journey in advance. Details of the latest traffic news are available at TD's website (www.td.gov.hk/en/home/index.html) or mobile application "HKeMobility".

Ends/Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Issued at HKT 22:12

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