Special traffic and transport arrangements for Lunar New Year Fireworks Display

A series of temporary traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in Central, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui to facilitate the Lunar New Year Fireworks Display which will be held at 8pm on Thursday (February 10).

The Transport Department said the arrangements were:

1. Road closure and traffic diversion will be implemented in phases in the vicinity of Central, Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui.

2.(i) Public transport services: Most public transport services including MTR, KCRC East Rail, West Rail, Light Rail, Tramway and Peak Tramways will strengthen services according to passenger demand. In order to meet passenger need, bus services of 25 routes running on Hong Kong Island will also be strengthened.

(ii) 47 bus routes operating on Hong Kong Island and 41 routes operating in Kowloon will be diverted due to the temporary traffic measures. A number of green minibus routes (15 in Hong Kong and eight in Kowloon) and one Cross boundary Coach Service at Wan Chai will also be diverted. Services of 17 ferry routes will be rescheduled or cancelled.

(iii) Ferry services departing from piers along the fairway of Victoria Harbour (including Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Wan Chai) will resume service about 9pm after the harbour is re-opened.

3. Taxi stands and roadside parking spaces within the closed roads will be temporarily suspended.

4. All vehicles will be prohibited from entering the carparks and hotels within the closed roads and vehicles parked in these carparks and hotels will not be permitted to leave until the closed roads are re-opened.

People who plan to go to the affected areas are advised to use public transport. In cases of traffic obstruction, motorists are urged to exercise tolerance and patience, and take heed of instructions of the Police in the affected areas. The public should listen to the radio broadcasts for the latest traffic news.

Details of the temporary traffic and transport arrangements are available at the "Traffic Notices" of the Department's Homepage. For further queries, please contact the government hotline at 1823.

Ends/Tuesday, February 8, 2005