Traffic on KCR Hung Hom Station Podium improved

Taxi drivers, general motorists, passengers and pedestrians will find more convenience when using the transport and traffic facilities on the Kowloon Canton Railway (KCR) Hung Hom Station Podium after a series of measures to improve the traffic situation there are all carried out.

The measures include the relocation of the cross-harbour taxi stand, creation of a new vehicular access to the pick-up and drop-off bay for general motorists, improvement of minibus stop area and provision of pedestrian facilities.

Mr Edmond Fok, senior engineer of the Transport Department, said at a press briefing today (December 18) that it was very important to maintain a smooth traffic condition for road users on the KCR Hung Hom Station Podium, one of the major public transport interchanges, where the traffic was always busy.

"The basic idea of these measures is to keep the traffic moving in order," he said.

"Before the cross-harbour taxi stand is moved from the northern side of the KCR Station north-east corner to the eastern side, the taxi queue of the general taxi stand often gets long enough to block those taxis intended to exit from the cross-harbour taxi stand. Furthermore, taxis approaching the drop-off bay are also being obstructed by queuing taxis.

"The relocation of the cross-harbour taxi stand improves the order of taxis queues. At the same time, accessibility to the taxi drop-off point has been improved and simultaneous loading is encouraged at taxi stands by signages so as to help shorten the taxi queue and the waiting time of passengers."

Owing to the physical constraints of the podium, vehicles from Cheong Wan Road North and Railway Approach have to go around the podium before they can reach the pick-up and drop-off bay.

"This is why a new exit on Cheong Wan Road is provided to allow vehicles to gain direct access to the pick-up and drop-off bay," said Mr Fok.

He also mentioned that the minibus stop area near Railway Approach had been modified to enhance traffic movements. A lot of traffic signs and road markings had been revised to give clearer messages to users.

"Most of the measures have recently been implemented and our observation shows that the efforts we made have begun to pay off.

"However, we will continue to monitor the situation and further improvements will be made. In the months to come, the pedestrian crossing to the pick-up and drop-off bay and to the bus terminus will be signalised to enhance pedestrian safety," he added.

End/Monday, December 18, 2000