Government statement on Fairview Park residents' petition

    In response to press enquiries about the petition to the Chief Executive's Office by a Fairview Park resident group today (July 24), a Government spokesman said the Government departments concerned had all along been liaising with Fairview Park resident group and other parties on the issue of erection of prohibition signs at Fairview Park Boulevard (FPB).  

    "The Government will continue to listen to various views, liaise and discuss with Fairview Park resident group and the other relevant parties to explore options acceptable to all concerned parties," the spokesman said.

    FPB is a private dual 2-lane road solely owned by the developer of Fairview Park. It is currently used by vehicles of residents and visitors of Fairview Park as well as vehicles from nearby warehouses and container yards.

    In 1998, after obtaining the then Yuen Long Provisional District Board's endorsement, the Government agreed to erect prohibition signs on FPB between Fairview Park roundabout and Kam Pok Road. The developer of Fairview Park then withdrew his objection to the road scheme associated with a drainage channel project in the vicinity of the housing estate.

    The developer wanted to impose prohibition because FPB had been seriously damaged by heavy vehicles.  Upon erection of the traffic signs, vehicles longer than seven metres would have to travel via Fairview Park roundabout, Castle Peak Road and Kam Pok Road (a new road constructed under the drainage channel project) for access to areas neighboring Fairview Park.  This route would be about 1.8km longer than the original route.

    Earlier this year Transport Department (TD) intended to proceed with the proposal to erect the traffic signs as Kam Pok Road was completed.  However, local residents at Palm Springs, Royal Palms, Maple Gardens and Chuk Yuen Tsuen and local container yard operators emerged to voice their strong objection to the erection of the traffic signs. They expressed the view that they were not consulted in 1998 when the scheme was agreed.  They also pointed out that the diversion of container vehicles to the alternative route via Castle Peak Road would cause traffic and environmental concerns.  

    Recently, some local land owners also claimed the prohibition of heavy vehicles on FPB would infringe on their rights for the use of the road.  

    Subsequently, after some discussion in the Yuen Long District Council meeting on June 23, 2005, TD has written to the two sides to confirm that the erection of the traffic signs would be postponed, explaining that the concerned departments would have to seek legal advice regarding the right of way issue.

    "It is necessary to sort out the legal position of land owners claiming to have the right of way of FPB and until the legal issue is satisfactorily clarified, it would not be prudent to proceed further with any prohibition proposal for FPB," the spokesman said.

Ends/Sunday, July 24, 2005