Restricted use of Discovery Bay Tunnel

The Transport Department reminds members of the public that the Discovery Bay Tunnel to be opened this April is restricted to residents'coaches and services vehicles.

"That is to say, only buses of residents' services, school transport and goods vehicles engaging in delivery of goods and services will be permitted to enter Discovery Bay via the new tunnel," said a spokesman of the department when answering the questions regarding the operation of the Tunnel.

"In order to maintain a traffic-free environment, all roads inside Discovery Bay are already inaccessible to other modes of transport, such as private cars, " he added.

He said that the Transport Department had approved in principle the operation of two new residents' services routes between Tung Chung MTR Station and Discovery Bay and between the Airport and Discovery Bay respectively.

"These two routes will be able to meet the demand from the residents in Discovery Bay," said the spokesman.

Motorists allowed to use the Tunnel are urged to pay attention to the fact that the Tunnel is not linked to the North Lantau Highway (NLH) direct.

"The Tunnel links up with a service utility road named Cheung Tung Road which runs parallel to the NLH," said the spokesman.

"Vehicles leaving the Tunnel for the urban area have to travel on Cheung Tung Road to get to Tung Chung before they are able to drive onto the northbound NLH, while vehicles from the urban area heading for Discovery Bay will have to go to Tung Chung first before they can turn onto Cheung Tung Road and then the Tunnel," added the spokesman.

Wednesday, February 23, 2000