Police Announce Traffic Changes for Ching Ming Festival to Ensure Safety and Smooth Flow for Grave Sweepers

Special traffic arrangements for Ching Ming Festival

Police will implement special traffic arrangements in various districts during Ching Ming Festival period to facilitate grave sweepers, and to ensure smooth vehicular traffic movements and pedestrian safety.

Hong Kong Island

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Chai Wan

Cape Collinson Road east of Lin Shing Road is designated as a private car and light goods vehicle prohibited zone from 7am to 3pm daily between March 8 and April 27, except for vehicles with permit.

A. Road closure

Phase I

The following roads will be closed from 7am to 5pm daily on March 22, 23, 29 and 30, and April 5, 6, 12 and 13:

- Southbound Lin Shing Road, except for franchised buses, green minibus (GMB) routes 16A, 16M, 16X and 18M, taxis, hearses, funeral vehicles, vehicles with permit, and vehicles heading to Wan Tsui Estate and Lin Tsui Estate;

- Northbound Lin Shing Road, except for GMB route 18M, hearses, funeral vehicles and vehicles with permit;

- Cape Collinson Road east of Lin Shing Road, except for GMB route 18M, taxis, hearses, funeral vehicles and vehicles with permit;

- Cape Collinson Road west of Lin Shing Road, except for franchised buses, GMB routes 16A, 16M and 16X, taxis, hearses, funeral vehicles and vehicles with permit;

- The slip road leading from Cape Collinson Road to the Garden of Remembrance and the crematorium, except for hearses and vehicles carrying passengers to services at the Crematorium; and

- The slip road leading to Chai Wan Chinese Permanent Cemetery.

Phase II

The following roads will be closed from 7am to 5pm on April 4:

- Lin Shing Road, except for franchised buses, GMB routes 16A, 16M and 16X, hearses, funeral vehicles, vehicles with permit, and vehicles heading to Wan Tsui Estate and Lin Tsui Estate;

- Cape Collinson Road east of Lin Shing Road, except for hearses, funeral vehicles and vehicles with permit;

- Cape Collinson Road west of Lin Shing Road, except for franchised buses, GMB routes 16A, 16M and 16X, hearses, funeral vehicles and vehicles with permit;

- The slip road leading from Cape Collinson Road to the Garden of Remembrance and the crematorium, except for hearses and vehicles carrying passengers to services at the crematorium;

- The slip road leading to Chai Wan Chinese Permanent Cemetery; and

- Wan Tsui Lane, except for vehicles heading to Hing Wah Plaza.

B. Traffic diversions

- Traffic along eastbound Wan Tsui Road between Fei Tsui Road and Lin Shing Road cannot turn right to Lin Shing Road during the above road closures; and

- Cape Collinson Road between its slip road to the crematorium and Shek O Road will be re-routed one-way westbound during the above road closures and the operation hours of Citybus route 388.

C. No parking

During the above road closures, no parking will be permitted along the following roads:

- Wan Tsui Road;

- Lin Shing Road;

- Cape Collinson Road; and

- Shek O Road between Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution and Tai Tam Road.

With the exception of access to Wan Tsui Estate and Lin Tsui Estate, all red minibuses, private cars, goods vehicles, motorcycles, motor tricycles and pedal cycles cannot enter Lin Shing Road during the above road closures, while taxis cannot enter Lin Shing Road during Phase II.

Kowloon

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(1) Tseung Kwan O

The access road at Ko Chiu Road leading to Tseung Kwan O Chinese Permanent Cemetery will be closed from 5.30am to 6pm daily on March 9, 15, 16, 22, 23 and 29, and April 5, 12, 13, 18 to 21, 26 and 27, and May 1, except for special route No. 14S of Kowloon Motor Bus, hearses, funeral vehicles and vehicles with permit.

The above road will be closed from 5.30am to 8pm daily on March 30, and April 4 and 6.

Grave sweepers can access the cemetery on foot via the BMCPC Footpath opposite MTR Tiu Keng Leng Station or the access road on Ko Chiu Road. Individuals requiring wheelchair access should enter the cemetery via the Ko Chiu Road entrance.

(2) Cheung Sha Wan

The following special traffic arrangements will be implemented on March 29 and 30, and April 4 to 6, 12 and 13:

A. Road closure (daily from 7am to 7pm)

Wing Ming Street and the unnamed road between Wing Ming Street and Saint Raphael’s Catholic Cemetery will be closed, except for hearses, funeral vehicles, vehicles of the cemetery staff and those with permits.

B. No stopping or parking

- Parking will be prohibited on Yu Chau West Street between Castle Peak Road and King Lam Street daily from 7am to 7pm;

- Vehicles are prohibited to pick up or drop off passengers along Yu Chau West Street near Wing Ming Street (outside “83 Wing Hong Street”); and

- Stopping or parking will be prohibited on Ching Cheung Road daily from 7am to 7pm.

C. Suspension of parking spaces (daily from 7am to 7pm)

All on-street parking spaces on Yu Chau West Street, Tai Nan West Street, King Lam Street between Yu Chau West Street and Tai Nan West Street, and Wing Hong Street between Yu Chau West Street and Tai Nan West Street will be suspended.

Members of the public should access Saint Raphael’s Catholic Cemetery via the subway across Ching Cheung Road from the end of the unnamed road between Wing Ming Street and the cemetery. No parking facilities in the cemetery will be open for public use.

New Territories

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(1) Wo Hop Shek

The following special traffic arrangements will be implemented daily on March 22, 23, 29 and 30, and April 4 to 6, 12, 13, and 18 to 21:

A. Road closure (daily from 6am to 5pm)

- Kiu Tau Road, except for hearses, coaches conveying people attending services at the crematorium, vehicles of the undertakers and franchised buses;

- Ming Yin Road, except for franchised buses;

- Wo Ka Lau Road; and

- All access roads within Wo Hop Shek Cemetery.

B. Traffic diversions

- Traffic along northbound Pak Wo Road near Fung Ying Seen Koon cannot turn right to southbound Pak Wo Road; and

- Traffic along southbound Pak Wo Road near MTR Fanling Station cannot turn right to the car park on Pak Wo Road near Fung Ying Seen Koon.

C. Suspension of parking spaces (daily from 7am to 5pm)

- The car park on Wo Hing Road near Wah Ming Road roundabout, except for taxis;

- The car park on Pak Wo Road near Fung Ying Seen Koon, except for the disabled parking spaces and public buses of the residents’ service route No. NR112. Depending on the prevailing situation, vehicles with elderly and disabled passengers may be allowed to use the car park for boarding shuttle buses that are heading for Wo Hop Shek Cemetery;

- Parking spaces on Wah Ming Lane; and

- Parking spaces at Ming Yin Road between Wo Hop Shek Cemetery Office and Kiu Tau Road.

(2) Sandy Ridge

The Frontier Closed Area from MTR Lo Wu Station to Lo Wu Station Road will be open to grave sweepers from 6am to 6pm daily between March 22 and April 20.

The following roads will be closed from 6am to 6pm daily on March 22, 23, 29 and 30, and April 4 to 6, 12, 13 and 18 to 20:

- Lo Wu Station Road, from its junction with Man Kam To Road to a point approximately 280 metres west, near the cemetery management office, except for vehicles of Lo Wu Village residents and those permitted to use the MTR Lo Wu Station car park; and

- Sha Ling Road, except for vehicles of Sha Ling residents.

(3) Castle Peak

The following traffic arrangements will be implemented from 7am to 7pm daily on March 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30, and April 4 to 6, 12 and 13:

A. Road closure

- Tsing San Path; and

- The access roads leading to Ching Chung Koon and Ching Chung Sin Yuen.

B. Traffic diversions

- Tsing Chung Koon Road between Tsing Lun Road and San Fuk Road will be re-routed one-way northbound; and

- San Fuk Road between Leung Shun Street and Tsing Chung Koon Road will be re-routed one-way westbound.

C. No parking

No parking will be permitted along the following roads:

- San Fuk Road;

- Tsing Chung Koon Road between Tsing Chung Path and San Fuk Road;

- Tsing Lun Road between Tsun Wen Road and the northern vehicle entrance of Tuen Mun Hospital; and

- Southbound Tsun Wen Road between Tsing Lun Road and San Fuk Road.

D. Passenger pick-up and drop-off points

Three temporary pick-up and drop-off points will be set up at northbound Tsing Chung Koon Road opposite to Castle Peak Hospital, northbound Tsing Chung Koon Road opposite to Tuen Mun Hospital, and westbound Tsing Lun Road outside Tuen Mun Hospital.

(4) Tsang Tsui

Nim Wan Road between Yung Long Road and the access road to Tsang Tsui Columbarium will be closed from 7am to 7pm daily on March 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30, and April 4 to 6, 12 and 13, except for franchised buses, MTR buses, taxis, vehicles heading for West New Territories Landfill and T·PARK, and vehicles with permit.

(5) Kwai Tsing

Wing Yin Street and Wing Hau Street will be closed from 7am to 5pm daily on March 22 and 29, and April 5, 12 and 13, except for hearses and franchised buses.　

The following traffic arrangements will be implemented from 7am to 5pm daily on March 23 and 30, and April 4 and 6, and when necessary:

- Southbound Wing Tak Street between the entrance of City Point and Wing Shun Street, Wing Yin Street, and Wing Shun Street between Wing Tak Street and Kwai Hei Street will be closed, except for hearses, franchised buses, taxis and GMBs;

- Wing Kei Road between Kwai Hei Street and Wing Kin Road will be re-routed one-way southbound. Vehicles cannot travel via Kwai Hei Street for Wing Kei Road; and

- Wing Hau Street will be closed.

During the implementation of the special traffic arrangements, any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts mentioned above will be towed away without prior warning, and may be subject to multiple ticketing.

Police will implement the above arrangements subject to traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Members of the public are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

Town Planning Board upholds "Undetermined" zoning for the proposed Global Innovation Centre site in Pok Fu Lam

The Town Planning Board (TPB) completed today (March 14) the consideration of further representations (FRs) on the proposed amendment to the draft Pok Fu Lam Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) No. S/H10/22 and decided to uphold its previous decision of rezoning the 4.72-hectare site for the proposed Global Innovation Centre (the Centre) by the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in Pok Fu Lam (the Site) from "Other Specified Uses" annotated "Global Innovation Centre" to "Undetermined" ("U") in the interim.

The TPB reached the above decision at today's meeting after thoroughly considering 1 861 FRs (including 30 with further responses to departmental comments) as well as the views and responses of the Planning Department and other relevant government bureaux/departments on the FRs.

Members noted that the grounds/views in the opposing FRs were mainly related to (i) designation of "U" zoning; (ii) suitability of the Site for the Centre; and (iii) procedural issues. Members also took note that most issues were similar to those raised in the representations and were duly deliberated by the TPB at the representation stage.

As for (i) members acknowledged that in accordance with section 6B(8) of the Town Planning Ordinance (the Ordinance), the TPB had the authority to amend the OZP in other manner that, in its opinion, would meet the representations. The legal advice we obtained from government lawyers confirmed that it was legally proper for the TPB to propose rezoning the Site to "U" to partially meet the representations. As for (ii), members considered that the purpose of the "U" zoning was to provide an opportunity for HKU to review the suitability of the Site and other possible sites in and outside Pok Fu Lam, in the light of comments of stakeholders including the Ebenezer and residents in the Pok Fu Lam area. As for (iii), members did not see procedural improprieties in handling the FRs, including following the administrative arrangements set out in the TPB Guidelines No. 29C.

In light of the above, the TPB considered it prudent to maintain the "U" zoning for the Site at this stage, which would allow time for HKU to review the development proposal for the Centre, conduct relevant technical assessments including potential traffic impacts during construction and operational stages, further consult the local community and submit a revised proposal for consideration by the Government and the TPB within a reasonable time. Any proposed development of the Site would be effected through rezoning in accordance with section 5 of the Ordinance whereby the public would have the opportunity to submit representations and the TPB would conduct hearings to deal with the representations before deciding whether to accept the rezoning proposal.

During the course of discussion, members saw the need to impress upon HKU to come up with the way forward for the Centre within reasonable time. To this end, members agreed that HKU should be invited to report to the TPB on the latest developments of the project within three months, which should include its decision on site selection with detailed justifications, a development timeline for the project as well as an update on engagement with stakeholders. Members also reaffirmed the importance of constructive engagement with stakeholders and emphasised their expectation that HKU should enhance its engagement with the community.