XN000022-1975-04-30 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 1975

HOLIDAY TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENTS RE-INTRODUCED

ON CASTLE PEAK AND CLEARWATER DAY ROADS

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TODAY REMINDED GOODS VEHICLE OPERATORS THAT THE ANJUAL SPECIAL HOLIDAY TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SCHEME ON CASTLE PEAK ROAD AND CLEARWATER BAY ROAD WOULD BE RE-INTRODUCED FROM SUNDAY (MAY 4).

UNDER THE SCHEME, A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID, ALL GOODS VEHICLES WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO TRAVEL ALONG CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE ROADS DURING SPECIFIED HOURS ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, UNLESS AUTHORISED IN WRITING BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT.

HE SAID THE SCHEME WAS INTENDED TO REDUCE TRAFFIC CONGESTION CAUSED BY SLOW-MOVING LORRIES AND BY HEAVY VEHICLES BREAKING DOWN, AND TO GIVE PRIORITY TO PASSENGER TRANSPORT FOR A FEW HOURS TO ENABLE PEOPLE TO HAVE REASONABLY QUICK ACCESS TO BEACHES AND OTHER RECREATIONAL AREAS.

ON CLEARWATER BAY ROAD, ALL GOODS VEHICLES TRAVELLING IN AN EASTERLY (UPHILL) DIRECTION WILL DE PROHIBITED FROM USING THAT SECTION BETWEEN ITS JUNCTIONS WITH LUNG CHEUNG ROAD AND FEI NGOR SHAN ROAD FROM 9 A.M. TO 2 P.M. ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND GOODS VEHICLES TRAVELLING IN A DOWNHILL DIRECTION WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO USE THE SECTION OF THE ROAD BETWEEN ITS JUNCTIONS WITH HIRAM'S HIGHWAY AND ANDERSON ROAD FROM 2 P.M. TO 7 P.M.

ON CASTLE PEAK ROAD, THEY WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM TRAVELLING ALONG THAT SECTION BETWEEN SHA TSUI ROAD AND CAUSEWAY ROAD FROM 11 A.M. TO 6 P.M.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEME ON CASTLE PEAK ROAD, THERE WOULD STILL NOT BE A TOTAL DAN ON THE MOVEMENT OF GOODS VEHICLES TO AND FROM THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE NEW TERRITORIES. ALTERNATIVE ROUTES ARE AVAILABLE ON TAI PO ROAD, ROUTE TUISK AND ON CASTLE PEAK ROAD OUTSIDE THE RESTRICTED HOURS.

THE SCHEME WILL BE ENFORCED UNTIL OCTOBER 14 THIS YEAR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TWO PUBLIC HOLIDAYS -- JUNE 14 AND JULY 1, HE SAID.

THE SCHEME ON CLEARWATER BAY ROAD HAS PROVED SUCCESSFUL DURING ITS OPERATION IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND LAST YEAR WHERE IT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED ON CASTLE PEAK ROAD, A SURVEY

INDICATED A GENERAL INCREASE OF 10 PER CENT IN TRAFFIC VOLUME AND AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 14 PER CENT IN JOURNEY SPEED ON THE ROAD.

+BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF SLOW-MOVING LORRIES AND BREAKDOWNS, BUS SERVICES IN THIS PART OF THE NEW TERRITORIES WERE ABLE TO ADHERE MORE CLOSELY TO THEIR TIMETABLES,+* THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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