Special traffic and transport arrangements for public procession this Saturday

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     The Transport Department (TD) today (April 29) reminded the public that special traffic and transport arrangements would be implemented from Causeway Bay to Central District this Saturday (May 1) to facilitate the holding of a number of public processions to be held on Hong Kong Island.

     There will be four public processions to be held this Saturday.  Related special traffic and transport arrangements are as follows:

From about 11am to noon
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     The procession will depart from Chater Garden for the destination at Central Government Offices via Ice House Street and Battery Path.

     The section of Ice House Street between Queen's Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central will be temporarily closed.  NWFB route no.26 operating in the affected areas will be temporarily diverted and its bus stops along the procession route will also be temporarily suspended.

From about noon to 2.30pm
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     Two public processions will be held at noon and 1.30pm.  Both will take the route from Victoria Park to Keswick Street and back to Victoria Park via Causeway Road westbound, Leighton Road westbound, Keswick Street, Pennington Street and Sugar Street.

     The Police will implement intermittent closure of the slow lane along the procession route for the smooth conduct of these two events.

From about 2.30pm
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     A public procession will be held from Victoria Park to Central Government Offices via Sugar Street, Yee Wo Street westbound, Hennessy Road westbound, Queensway westbound, Queen's Road Central westbound and Battery Path.

     From about 2.30pm onwards, the following roads will be closed:

(a) The section of Gloucester Road northbound between Gloucester Road southbound and Sugar Street;
(b) Jardine's Bazaar;
(c) Tang Lung Street;
(d) The section of Canal Road East between Hennessy Road and Russell Street;
(e) The section of Gloucester Road southbound between Victoria Park Road flyover and Causeway Road (if necessary);
(f) Sugar Street;
(g) Irving Street (except for vehicles heading to the Regal Hong Kong Hotel);
(h) The section of Yee Wo Street westbound between Pennington Street and Hennessy Road;
(i) The section of Yun Ping Road between Kai Chiu Road and Pak Sha Road;
(j) Kai Chiu Road;
(k) The section of Lee Garden Road between Kai Chiu Road and Hennessy Road;
(l) The Section of Hennessy Road westbound between Yee Wo Street and Lee Garden Road; and
(m) The slow lanes of Hennessy Road westbound, Queensway westbound and Queen's Road Central westbound east of Ice House Street will be intermittently closed.

     In addition, 43 bus routes and one green minibus route operating in the affected areas will be temporarily diverted.  The concerned public transport operators will arrange publicity to inform passengers of the temporary arrangements.

     Apart from the above special traffic arrangements, the TD anticipates that the traffic from Causeway Bay to Central will be significantly congested.  Motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected areas.  In case of traffic congestion, motorists should exercise tolerance and patience, and follow the instructions of the Police.  People who plan to go to the affected areas are advised to use public transport services.

     The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary.  Motorists and the public are advised to watch out for the latest traffic news broadcast by TV and radio channels.

     Details of the special traffic and transport arrangements are available at the Transport Department website (www.td.gov.hk).  For further queries, please call 1823.

Ends/Thursday, April 29, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:54

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