TD continues to monitor traffic during WTO HKMC

The Transport Department (TD) today (December 15) reminded members of the public on the special transport and traffic arrangements on December 16 relating to the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation.
 
     A Transport Department spokesman said traffic on Hong Kong Island had been busy today during the morning peak. Public transport services were normal and there was no major traffic incident reported to the Transport Department.

     The spokesman noted that comparing with the past few days, traffic volume at Cross Harbour Tunnel and Aberdeen Tunnel had increased and there were traffic queues at the major roads in Hung Hom and Wan Chai, which might be attributable to the coming back of private cars.

     To facilitate today's three protest marches, 26 bus routes and 10 GMB routes had been diverted. Sections of roads around the central districts of Wan Chai and Causeway Bay had been closed intermittently by the Police.  These included northbound Gloucester Road from the U-turn loop underneath Tai Hang Road Flyover to Kingston Street; Sugar Street, Great George Street, Paterson Street, Kingston Street, Lockhart Road, East Point Road, Percival Street, a section of Canal Road East between Jaffe Road and Hennessy Road, Canal Road West, Marsh Road and Hung Hing Road.

     The spokesman said today's procession had not caused major disruption to the traffic in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai though traffic queues to Causeway Bay were noted to be up to Island Eastern Corridor near Oil Street and near Cross Harbour Tunnel from Causeway Road Flyover at some time. He hoped the public processions would continue to take place in an orderly manner and finish as originally planned so that traffic disruption would be kept to the minimum. As traffic on a normal Friday is normally fairly busy, he thus appealed to the public to continue understanding and cooperation.

     For tomorrow (December 16), the Police will implement special traffic arrangements to facilitate a procession from Lockhart Road, Wan Chai to the Cargo Handling Area near Hung Hing Road via Fenwick Street, Hennessy Road, Marsh Road, Marsh Road Flyover and Hung Hing Road.
Public transport passing the affected roads might be diverted when necessary and the Police might close some roads intermittently to facilitate the procession.

     The spokesman said traffic conditions in the coming few days might change more frequently because of public processions and Police operations.

     He appealed to members of the public to stay alert and plan the journey well in advance, use public transports as far as possible and try to avoid driving to the relevant districts, especially roads in Island north.
 
     He also advised motorists to avoid using the Cross Harbour Tunnel. As there was limited capacity at Wan Chai North, any road closures would have an impact on the road traffic which would need more time to resume normal during this period.

     As some of the processions might be held during the afternoon peak when the schools were finishing, parents are advised to maintain close liaison with school bus drivers to understand their journeys as some roads might be diverted in the afternoon in the coming few days and caused some delays.

     The TD's Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre Joint Steering Mode has been in operation since December 10 to closely monitor the traffic situations and handle incidents of transport, and co-ordinate the announcement of information on traffic and public transport services.

     The TD has also set up a special hotline: 1834567, available between now and December 19, for enquiries on the most updated information on special traffic and transport arrangements during the HKMC period. People can also make use of the hotline to obtain the information by fax or contact hotline servicing staff. The information will also be uploaded onto the department website www.td.gov.hk for easy reference.

     During the period, TD's general hotline: 28042600 will continue to provide service for general enquiries as usual.

     The department will continue to make regular updating of information for the media for immediate announcement to the public.

Ends/Thursday, December 15, 2005
Issued at HKT 20:07