Passengers advised to depart for LMC at non-peak hours

Boundary crossing passengers are advised to make their journeys in late morning or early afternoon to avoid overcrowding of passengers at Lok Ma Chau Transport Interchange during the Lunar New Year Holidays.

A Transport Department spokesman said today (February 10): "The demand for the shuttle bus service is usually most peaky in early morning and late evening and the number of passengers using the service will increase significantly during the above period.

He said the cross boundary shuttle bus service operates between 6.30 am and 11.30 pm and its last departure from Lok Ma Chau Public Transport Interchange is scheduled at 11.30 pm.

The spokesman said: "Operating hours for the shuttle bus will not be extended.

"As the carrying capacity of the buses is limited, the service may not be able to fully accommodate all passengers. Cross boundary passengers are therefore encouraged to use train services as far as possible as the train is a mass transit carrier and Lo Wu Control Point has a higher handling capacity."

Passengers should get prepared for longer journey time and waiting time because of road improvement works at the vicinity of the Lok Ma Chau Control Point, which will possibly affect road and pedestrian traffic.

Passengers may call the hotline 2471 0792 for enquiries before departing for the Lok Ma Chau terminus.

Tourist companies who fed patrons to the Lok Ma Chau terminus for transfer to the shuttle bus should evenly spread out their trips throughout the day. Alternatively, they may divert patrons to Sheung Shui KCR Station to use rail service for journeys to Lo Wu.

Transport Department will closely monitor both local and cross-boundary traffic during the holiday and will take prompt action whenever necessary.

End/Sunday, February 10, 2002