Transport Department notes court judgment on Fairview Park Boulevard

 A spokesman for the Transport Department today (August 31) noted the court judgment concerning Fairview Park Boulevard.

     In the past few months, the department has been monitoring the use of heavy goods vehicles, light goods vehicles and bicycles in the area near Fairview Park Boulevard, Kam Pok Road and Castle Peak Road. Having considered the traffic situation near Fairview Park and the relevant issues, the department took the view that there were not strong grounds to prohibit vehicles longer than seven metres from entering Fairview Park Boulevard.

     “We are concerned about the views and worries expressed by Fairview Park residents. The department will continue to communicate with the locals in a bid to improve the traffic situation there,” the spokesman said.

     The spokesman said cargo-handling operators near Fairview Park had agreed, in principle, to cut down the use of Fairview Park Boulevard during morning peak hours as far as possible. The department will further discuss the matter with the operators.

     In the long run, with a view to further improving the situation and easing the residents' worries, the Government is planning a new road to meet the development needs in the area and to reduce the number of heavy goods vehicles using Fairview Park Boulevard to travel to and from Tai Sang Wai.

     “The issue on whether heavy goods vehicles should be banned from using Fairview Park Boulevard has been discussed for years. As the situation and traffic needs in the area have been changing, the decision and the action taken by the authorities were meant to balance the overall public interests. It is hoped that the measures can cope with the traffic needs flexibly and minimise the loss suffered by road users due to traffic delays,” the spokesman said.

     In a bid to enhance the road safety awareness of the nearby residents (especially the young ones), the Police have organised road safety talks with schools in the area to remind students to abide by traffic laws and take note of cycling safety.

     As the new school year begins shortly, the Police will deploy additional traffic officers to conduct patrols near Fairview Park to enhance road safety and maintain smooth traffic. They will also distribute road safety leaflets to raise the awareness of motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.

     The department will, at the same time, improve traffic signs to divert more goods vehicles to use Kam Pok Road, and erect more speed reduction signs and road signs at the entrance of the public roads leading to Fairview Park Boulevard.

     The department will request Fairview Park developers to add more traffic signs and enhance traffic safety of the Fairview Park Boulevard.

Ends/Friday, August 31, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:11