XN000022-1986-09-01 — Page 2

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1986

MAN KAM TO BORDER CROSSING POINT ARRANGEMENTS

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THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (MONDAY) ANNOUNCED A PACKAGE OF MEASURES AIMED AT REDUCING TRAFFIC CONGESTION ALONG THE MAN KAM TO ROAD. THE SITUATION HAS BECOME ACUTE IN RECENT MONTHS AS A RESULT OF RAPID GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES USING THE MAN KAM TO BORDER CROSSING POINT.

FIRSTLY, BY AGREEMENT WITH THE SHENZHEN AUTHORITIES, CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION FACILITIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER CROSSING POINT WILL OPEN HALF AN HOUR EARLIER IN THE MORNING AS FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1986. AFTER THAT DATE, THE CROSSING POINT WILL OPEN AT 7 AM INSTEAD OF 7.30 AM.

IN ORDER TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM OF VEHICLES QUEUE ING ALONG MAN KAM TO ROAD, IT IS INTENDED TO USE A SITE IN AREA 23 SHEUNG SHUI AS A TEMPORARY VEHICLE HOLDING AREA. THE SITE WILL HAVE A CAPACITY OF OVER 400 VEHICLES AND IT IS EXPECTED THAT IT WILL COME INTO USE AT THE END OF OCTOBER 1986 WHEN TEMPORARY SURFACING WORK IS COMPLETED.

IN ADDITION, A MORE PERMANENT VEHICLE HOLDING AREA WILL BE PROVIDED WHICH WILL BE IN USE UNTIL THE NEW LOK MA CHAU BORDER CROSSING COMES INTO SERVICE IN MID 1988.

THE EFFECT OF THE HOLDING AREAS WILL BE TO ALLOW VEHICLES TO WAIT OFF-ROAD THUS DRASTICALLY REDUCING CONGESTION ON MAN KAM TO ROAD.

IN THE SHORT TERM, WORK IS IN HAND TO DESIGNATE FOUR KEY JUNCTIONS IN THE SHEK WU HUI AREA AS YELLOW BOX JUNCTIONS TO MAINTAIN THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC ALONG JOCKEY CLUB ROAD AND TO KEEP THE JUNCTIONS FREE FOR CROSS-TRAFFIC. THIS WORK WILL BE COMPLETED IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS.

ALSO, SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE BEING MADE TO ENABLE RESIDENTS OF THE VILLAGES ALONG MAN KAM TO ROAD TO USE ROADS WITHIN THE FRONTIER CLOSED AREA TO TRAVEL TO SHEUNG SHUI.

FURTHER, TWO AMENDMENTS TO THE PROCEDURES RELATING TO FRONTIER CLOSED ROAD PERMITS ARE BEING INTRODUCED AS TEMPORARY MEASURES. FIRSTLY, MAN KAM TO PERMITS WILL NOW BE VALID FOR USE AT SHA TAU KOK UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE WITHOUT THE PAYMENT OF A FURTHER CLOSED ROAD PERMIT FEE (THIS DUAL VALIDITY WILL NOT BE APPLICABLE TO SHA TAU KOK PERMIT HOLDERS HOWEVER),

SECONDLY, THE ISSUE OF MAN KAM TO CLOSED ROAD PERMITS TO NEW APPLICANTS WILL BE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED AND SUCH APPLICANTS WILL BE OFFERED SHA TAU KOK PERMITS INSTEAD. THIS MEASURE WILL NOT AFFECT EXISTING MAN KAM TO PERMIT HOLDERS WHEN THEIR PERMITS BECOME DUE FOR RENEWAL.

THE MEASURES AFFECTING CLOSED ROAD PERMITS WILL BE COME INTO EFFECT ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1986 AND WILL BE STRICTLY TEMPORARY. THE NEED FOR CONTINUING THEM WILL BE REVIEWED ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

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