Interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements releases latest information on New Year countdown fireworks display, arrangements at major tourist spots and crowd control measures, special boundary-crossing and corresponding public transport services
The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, released the following information today (December 31) on the latest situation and arrangements during the New Year’s Eve and New Year holidays.
New Year countdown fireworks display
The Hong Kong Tourism Board will present a 12-minute New Year's Eve countdown fireworks display. To facilitate the fireworks display, the Police will implement special traffic arrangements and crowd management measures on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon according to the traffic and crowd conditions. The Police will adopt suitable measures to facilitate the dispersal of crowds in an orderly and smooth manner, enabling members of the public and tourists to enjoy the celebrations of the New Year’s Eve in a safe environment.
Arrangements at major tourist spots and crowd control measures
Major tourist attractions including the West Kowloon Cultural District, Ocean Park, Hong Kong Disneyland, the Peak Tram and Ngong Ping 360, have engaged additional manpower, and will maintain close communication with the relevant Government departments, stakeholders of the travel trade and public transport operators, etc., to handle additional people flow.
Special boundary-crossing measures
To facilitate diversion of cross-boundary passenger and vehicular movements during New Year's Eve and the New Year holidays, while the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port and the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang (LMC/HG) Port will maintain 24-hour operations as usual, a consensus was reached with the relevant departments of Guangdong Province and Shenzhen Municipality to make the following special arrangements on New Year's Eve (December 31):
(1) Passenger and passenger vehicle clearance services at the Shenzhen Bay Control Point, which usually close at midnight, will operate overnight, providing round-the-clock services; and
(2) Passenger clearance services at the Lo Wu Control Point, which usually close at midnight, will be extended to 2am the next day. The operating hours of the MTR East Rail line will be extended correspondingly.
With the extension of operating hours at certain boundary control points (BCPs) on New Year's Eve, the relevant departments have minimised leave for frontline officers for flexible deployment and operation of extra clearance counters and kiosks. The Inter-departmental Joint Command Centre set up by the Hong Kong Police Force, the Immigration Department, the Customs and Excise Department and other relevant departments will monitor the real-time situations at various BCPs and regularly report to the interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, maintain close liaison with Mainland port authorities, and take timely contingency actions to flexibly deploy manpower to ensure smooth operation of the BCPs. The Security Bureau will activate the Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre in a timely manner to closely monitor public order matters and co-ordinate any necessary actions at various BCPs, and support the working group in facilitating interdepartmental follow-up actions where necessary to respond promptly to various kinds of emergencies.
Special public transport services for cross-boundary travellers
The Transport Department (TD) and public transport operators have geared up to enhance cross-boundary public transport services for the special boundary-crossing arrangements:
(1) Lo Wu Control Point: The last departure of the MTR East Rail Line at Admiralty for Lo Wu will be extended to 12.56am on New Year's Day. Afterwards, cross-boundary travellers may take the MTR East Rail Line to Sheung Shui Station and take the special KMB route no. N73 at Choi Yuen Road via Exit B1 to Lok Ma Chau (San Tin) Public Transport Interchange and transfer to the overnight Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus) for their journey to Shenzhen;
(2) LMC/HG Port: The service of the Yellow Bus running between San Tin and the HG Port will be strengthened while additional vehicles have been reserved to enhance service frequency. Services of short-haul cross-boundary coaches departing from termini such as Arran Street (outside Golden Plaza), Prince Edward; Austin Road Cross Border Coach Terminus, Jordan; and Hennessy Road (near Southorn Centre), Wan Chai, will be enhanced in the small hours on New Year's Day. An additional pick-up point will be designated for the cross-boundary coach to LMC/HG Port at the coach pick-up and drop-off area at Wui Man Road outside Hong Kong West Kowloon Station in the small hours. Standby vehicles and manpower have been arranged to strengthen service; and
(3) Shenzhen Bay Port: Additional bus routes no. NB2 plying between Shenzhen Bay Port and Yuen Long Station and Tin Shui Wai Station, as well as NB3 between Shenzhen Bay Port and Tuen Mun will be operated in the small hours on New Year's Day. Additional overnight cross-boundary coach services to Shenzhen Bay Port will be provided at stations such as Hennessy Road near Southorn Centre, Wan Chai; Portland Street near Metropark Hotel Mongkok, Prince Edward; outside Shanghai Mansion (near Pitt Street), Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei; Austin Road Cross Border Coach Terminus, Jordan; and the coach pick-up and drop-off area on Wui Man Road outside Hong Kong West Kowloon Station. Standby vehicles and manpower have been arranged to strengthen service.
Moreover, a dedicated passage will be established at the LMC/HG Port and Shenzhen Bay Port, etc. when necessary, to ensure the smooth operation of public transport services. As for cross-boundary private cars, the TD has informed Closed Road Permit (CRP) holders that, from 12 midnight to 6.30am on New Year's Day, only private cars issued with CRP for the LMC/HG Port are allowed to cross this port. Whereas cross-boundary private cars issued with CRPs for the LMC/HG Port, Shenzhen Bay, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok Ports can use the Shenzhen Bay Port or the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port during early-morning hours.
Cross-boundary travellers are urged to plan their journeys early. The TD has set out details of public transport services of different ports via its mobile application HKeMobility, the additional thematic webpage, the Agent T Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AgentT.hk) and the social media 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.
In addition, public transport operators have informed passengers via notices and the MTR Corporation Limited will also step up broadcast. Motorists will be alerted to the latest traffic information through radio break-in messages at tunnels concerned and Variable Message Signs on major roads. The TD's Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will operate round the clock as usual to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services of various districts, boundary control points and major stations; implement contingency measures when necessary to meet service demands; and disseminate the latest traffic information through various channels.
The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements is tasked with holistically reviewing and steering the overall co-ordination efforts of various government departments to welcome visitors to Hong Kong during the New Year’s Eve and New Year holidays, as well as strengthening information dissemination to enable the public and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation. The working group will continue to monitor various circumstances during the New Year holidays, taking appropriate measures based on practical needs and making timely announcements.
