BCP clearance services, transportation and other arrangements for 15th National Games road cycling test event
The 2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Road Cycling Race and the 15th National Games road cycling test event will be held tomorrow (November 24). A men's individual road cycling race will be arranged for the test event and is scheduled to start at 9am tomorrow, and is expected to conclude at 2.30pm.
The race distance in Hong Kong section is 55.8km. The race convoy will enter Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB), travel along the North Lantau Highway, pass through the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and turn back to the North Lantau Highway and the HZMB, enter Hengqin before racing to finish at the Zhuhai Museum. It is estimated that the race convoy will spend about one and a half hours (around 10.20am to 11.50am) in the Hong Kong section of the race.
To facilitate the holding of the race, temporarily control measures will be implemented on the HZMB Hong Kong Port, the HZMB and some roads on that day. Members of the public and visitors should pay attention to the following key points:
Temporary control measures will be implemented on the HZMB westbound from Hong Kong towards Zhuhai/Macao from 7.30am to 12.30pm. The Departure Hall of Passenger Clearance Building and Outbound Vehicle Clearance Plaza of the HZMB Hong Kong Port will be closed at 6.30am. Travellers or vehicles wishing to leave Hong Kong for Zhuhai or Macao before the implementation of the temporary control measures are required to arrive at the Departure Hall of Passenger Clearance Building or Outbound Vehicle Clearance Plaza of the HZMB Hong Kong Port before 6.30am on the event day in order to undergo departure and clearance procedures.
The departure and clearance services at the HZMB Hong Kong Port will resume after 12.30pm. It is expected that traffic will be busy. Travellers and drivers who plan to use the bridge on that day are advised to plan their trips in advance. Drivers of cross-boundary private cars and goods vehicles can also consider the use of other land Boundary Control Points (BCP) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the vehicle's Closed Road Permit.
Cross-boundary public transport services travelling on the HZMB between Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao, including the HZMB shuttle bus (Gold Bus) and cross-boundary coaches services, will be suspended during the implementation of the temporary control on the HZMB Main Bridge and the HZMB Hong Kong Port on that day.
Temporary traffic control measures will be implemented on the North Lantau Highway and roads near the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort between 10.20am and 11.50am on the day of the race (exact time will depend on the actual progress of the race). The travel time to and from the Hong Kong International Airport or the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort via the North Lantau Highway is expected to increase by about 30 minutes. Members of the public and travelers should plan their trips in advance and allow sufficient travelling time. They are advised to use railway services, including the Airport Express, the Tung Chung line and the Disneyland Resort line, and avoid driving to the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Tung Chung and the airport during the event. Drivers who need to drive to the airport can also consider using the Tuen Mun-Chek Lap Kok Tunnel.
Details of the special traffic and transport arrangements for the 15th National Games cross-boundary road cycling test event, please referto the Transport Department Notice: www.td.gov.hk/en/traffic_notices/index_id_78067.html.
The National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) (NGCO) has liaised with relevant government departments and organisations to disseminate information of the relevant BCP clearance services and transportation arrangements to be implemented for the event to the public, travellers and stakeholders through various channels, including:
The Airport Authority of Hong Kong (AAHK) has reminded airlines to notify members of the public and travellers taking flights on that day to allow sufficient time to travel to the airport and has also issued a circular to inform travellers that cross-boundary coach services via the HZMB will be affected. Meanwhile, the AAHK also issued relevant notices through its website (www.hongkongairport.com/en/important-notice/index.page?noticeid=1585121172788-1) and social media platform.
The Tourism Commission (TC) has informed the hotel sector through their trade associations to remind their guests of the special transportation arrangements. The TC has also informed licensed travel agents through the Travel Industry Authority and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong to avoid bringing tour groups across the HZMB on the event day. The Hong Kong Tourism Board has also notified its trade partners and disseminated the relevant information on its website (www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/plan/news.html) to facilitate visitors' itinerary planning.
The Transport Department (TD) has informed trades including cross-boundary (CB) goods vehicles, public transport operators (PTOs) such as Gold Bus, CB coach, franchised bus, taxi operators and MTR of the arrangements on that day. The PTOs have also informed passengers via notices. Alert messages were also issued to applicants of Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles and the HZMB closed road permit holders on the temporary control measures of HZMB and the Hong Kong Port on that day. In addition, the TD will alert motorists to the latest traffic information through Full Variable Message Signs in tunnels and control areas concerned. Meanwhile, MTR Corporation Limited will assist to step up public broadcast in all heavy railway stations. The TD has urged CB and local travellers and members of the public to take heed of various public transport arrangements in CB traffic, travelling to and from the airport and Tung Chung as well as the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and plan their journeys early, via the HKeMobility mobile application, radio and TV, Agent T Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AgentT.hk) as well as the social media platform of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The Islands District Office has disseminated the relevant message to residents in the district through the district network (including District Councils, Area Committees and District Committees, Youth Committees, as well as District Services and Community Care Teams (Care Teams). The Care Teams have also assisted in contacting property management companies and village representatives in the district, and requested them to post the above TD notice at conspicuous places for residents' information. On the day of the test event, the Care Teams will deploy staff to inspect in the district and provide appropriate assistance to members of the public in need (e.g. responding to enquiries or assisting members of the public in contacting the TD and/or bus companies).
The Marine Department has contacted cross-boundary ferry operators and increased the frequency of ferry services to Macaoon the morning of the event day.
The Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has also reminded visitors planning to visit the resort via its social media platform, mobile application and website (www.hongkongdisneyland.com/hkdl/special-notice/) of the special traffic arrangements on the event day, including the possible increase in travel time to and from the resort and the Inspiration Lake Recreation Centre via Penny's Bay Highway, Sunny Bay Road, Magic Road and Fantasy Road due to traffic control measures.
The Hong Kong Customs (Customs) has informed the transport trades of the traffic arrangements on that day and to use other land BCPs as far as possible for entry and exit. The Customs has also posted notices at the clearance facilities of the Hong Kong Port and informed the public through its website (www.customs.gov.hk/en/home/index.html) and social media platform.
The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has informed traders of fresh produce of the arrangement whereby vehicles carrying fresh produce via the HZMB will be required to enter Hong Kong at suitable time slots to ensure that the supply of fresh produce to Hong Kong will not be affected.
The Immigration Department (ImmD) will update the situation of the Hong Kong Port in real time through its mobile application on the event day. Tourists can check the queuing situation of the HZMB Hong Kong Port through the ImmD's mobile application before travelling, so as to make better planning for their itinerary and minimise queuing time.
The Police will also remind the public of the temporary traffic control arrangements through its social media platform (www.facebook.com/HongKongPoliceForce).
A spokesman for the NGCO said that the relevant clearance services at BCPs and transport arrangements are crucial to the preparation for the test event, the smooth running of the race and the safety of athletes and staff members. The spokesperson thanked members of the public and travellers for their understanding of the inconvenience caused, as well as the concerted efforts of various organisations and departments in implementing the relevant arrangements.
A public viewing zone will be set up on the footpath of Fantasy Road located outside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, which can accommodate a few hundreds of spectators. Implementation of crowd management measures will be made by the Police depending on conditions in the areas. Members of the public are advised to take heed of instructions of the Police and the staff on site. As temporary traffic control measures will be implemented on the race route at the North Lantau Highway, members of the public should take the MTR to the Disneyland Resort station as far as possible to reach the viewing zone. In addition, Zhuhai will live webcast of the event, and Hong Kong has also arranged for live webcast by Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) (RTHK weblink: www.rthk.hk/nationalgames and RTHK YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/RTHK).
Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Central today
The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened in Central this afternoon (November 22), in which a male worker, while repairing an escalator, was trapped by some machine parts that suddenly moved. He was certified dead later in hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and expresses its deepest sympathy to his family.
The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued a suspension notice to the contractor concerned, suspending the repair of the escalator. The contractor cannot resume the repair work until the LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken."
The spokesman added, "We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."
To prevent workers from being trapped by moving machine parts of escalators under repair, the LD reminds contractors to cut off the power supply and implement relevant Permit-To-Work system to prevent machine parts from sudden movement. If cutting off the power supply is impracticable, workers should keep a safe distance from any moving machine parts. The repair work should also be conducted under supervision by competent person.
The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years on conviction on indictment; or $3 million and imprisonment for six months on summary conviction.
In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application "OSH 2.0", website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.
The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.
For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.
