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Police will implement crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements to facilitate the holding of public meetings and processions in Causeway Bay, Wan Chai and Central on July 1.
The public order event consists of three parts, namely, the public meeting in Victoria Park (the Park), the public procession heading for Central via Causeway Bay and Wan Chai from the Park and another public meeting in Central.
Crowd safety management measures
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Arrangement for public meeting in Victoria Park
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The public meeting in Victoria Park will be held between 1pm and 4pm at the six football pitches in the Park. The procession shall set off when the participants of the meeting and those awaiting the start of the procession have occupied about 85 per cent of the area of football pitches No. 1 ¡ª 6 in the Park.
According to experience, it would take at least two and a half hours for all participants of the meeting and the procession to leave the Park. This year, the organiser anticipated that the number of participants would be 150,000 instead of 50,000 in the past. Thus, the procession has to set off from the Park when the participants of the meeting and those awaiting the start of the procession have occupied about 85 per cent of the area of the six football pitches in the Park. This is to avoid a widespread of frustration or anger among the participants owing to prolonged waiting, which will likely lead to the occurrence of incidents or accidents that intensify the risk of public safety and public order in the venue.
For the arrangements for participants entering the Park: Members of the public who wish to get access to the Park from Tin Hau are advised to enter through Gate 14 at Hing Fat Street; while those from Causeway Bay are advised to use Gate 6 near Sugar Street or Gate 7 at Great George Street.
Football pitch No. 6 is reserved by the organiser for invited groups and guests. Other participants who wish to enter the park are advised to go to football pitches Nos. 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 in sequence to await the start of the procession. When the six football pitches are fully packed with participants, latecomers for the event may gather at the central lawn to await setting off the procession.
Police and the organiser will adopt a principle of ¡®First come, First go¡¯ in order to ensure the procession can set off from the Park orderly and in sequence.
Setting off arrangement and starting time of the procession
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According to the condition of the Letter of No Objection, the procession is to commence at 3pm or when participants for the meeting and those awaiting for the procession have occupied about 85 per cent of the area of the six football pitches in the Park, whichever is earlier.
When the procession begins to set off, participants at football pitch No. 6 will lead the procession to leave the Park via Gate 16, cross the road to westbound Causeway Road and start the procession. After the participants at football pitch No.6 have left, participants at football pitch No. 5 will follow to leave the Park via Gate 16. Once the persons at football pitches Nos. 6 and 5 have left the Park, those at football pitches Nos.4, 3, 2 and 1 will proceed in a ¡°Zig-zag¡± way, and then leave the Park in sequence through Gate 17. (Diagram A)
In anticipation of a large number of participants by the organiser, Police urged the event marshals to work with Police to facilitate the arriving crowd entering the Park for the meeting and the procession in order. Participants are advised to be patient and adhere to the arrangements made by the organiser and instructions given by Police on site.
Arrangements for the procession route
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The procession moves along Causeway Road (westbound carriageway), Leighton Road (westbound carriageway), Irving Street (westbound carriageway), Pennington Street (northbound carriageway), Yee Wo Street (westbound carriageway), Hennessy Road (westbound carriageway), Queensway (westbound carriageway), Des Voeux Road Central (eastbound and westbound carriageway), as well as the eastbound and westbound tram lanes. The eastbound and westbound tram lanes designated for the procession include the section in between Pennington Street and Heard Street, and the section in between Anton Street and Pedder Street. The procession will then finish at Chater Road Pedestrian Precinct, Statue Square, the section of Ice House Street between Chater Road and Des Voeux Road Central, the eastbound and westbound carriageways of Des Voeux Road Central between Jackson Road and Pedder Street (including the eastbound and westbound tram lanes), and Chater Garden.
The eastbound carriageways of Causeway Road, Yee Wo Street, Hennessy Road and Queensway will be reserved for the use by emergency vehicles and other road users.
If the entire eastbound and westbound carriageways of Hennessy Road are open to public procession as requested by the organiser, public transport services and emergency services in Admiralty, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and the vicinity will be substantially affected and delayed. Thus, in consideration of the safety of the procession participants and members of the public, as well as the right of other road users, Police will only let the public procession to proceed along the westbound carriageway of the aforesaid procession route, the eastbound and westbound carriageways of Des Voeux Road Central, as well as the eastbound and westbound tram lanes. In order to ensure public safety and public order as well as to strike a balance between the rights of the participants and other members of the public and road users, Police will not consider opening the eastbound carriageways for the public procession.
Arrangements for the road crossing zones outside Sogo Department Store and at Paterson Street
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The road crossing zones outside Sogo Department Store and at Paterson Street will be closed. According to experience, a huge number of procession participants jammed in the main procession departing from the Park by crossing Yee Wo Street at those two road crossing zones, thereby causing serious obstruction and delay to the main procession. It also affected the traffic flow at the eastbound carriageway which is reserved for the use by emergency vehicles, posing serious risks to public safety and public order. Thus, those two road crossing zones will then be temporarily closed during the procession. Police appeal to the procession participants not to jam in the procession at these two road crossing zones.
Members of the public who wish to cross these two road crossings may use Percival Street Footbridge and Sugar Street Footbridge or the subway of MTR Causeway Bay Station. Police will make special arrangements at the road crossing zone at Paterson Street for people who have special needs, such as the elderly and wheelchair-bound persons, to facilitate them to cross the road.
Arrangements for street stations
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Those wishing to set up street stations should apply for the relevant licences from the concerned government departments as soon as possible. In addition, when setting up street stations, the organisations should make sure that their street stations will not cause unreasonable obstruction to the procession, nor endanger the safety of the procession or other road users.
Arrangements for the public meeting in Central
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For the public meeting in Central, it will be conducted between 4pm and 11.59pm at Chater Road Pedestrian Precinct, Statue Square, the section of Ice House Street between Chater Road and Des Voeux Road Central, eastbound and westbound vehicular lanes of Des Voeux Road Central between Jackson Road and Pedder Street and Chater Garden.
Procession participants who wish to leave Central upon arriving at the venue of the meeting may leave in a western direction by proceeding along the southern pavement of Des Voeux Road Central and the pavements of Queen¡¯s Road Central. If the venue of the meeting is saturated and heavily congested with people, for the sake of safety, the participants arrive at a later time should take the same dispersal route, that is, in a western direction by proceeding along the southern pavement of Des Voeux Road Central and the pavement of Queen¡¯s Road Central. The organiser should try every means to assist Police by appealing to the participants who are unable to enter the venue of the meeting to disperse in a western direction via the same route.
Participants who wish to leave during the meeting may leave the venue in various directions as indicated by the green arrows on the Diagram B.
Arrangements for MTR Central Station
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As the organiser will set up a stage in the vicinity of Entrance/Exit J1 of MTR Central Station, the entrance will be used for entry to the station only during the public meeting owing to safety considerations. Appropriate crowd safety management measures will be implemented at other entrances/exits of the MTR Central Station, depending on the prevailing situation. Participants going to the meeting venue via MTR Central Station should pay attention to the announcement inside the stations.
Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Council will conduct on-site observation of the events.
Special traffic arrangements
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A. Road closure
The following roads will be closed from 1.30pm or when necessary:
- The u-turn slip road between southbound and northbound Gloucester Road (near the junction with Sugar Street);
- Sugar Street;
- Great George Street;
- Paterson Street;
- Kingston Street;
- Southbound Gloucester Road between Victoria Park Road flyover and Causeway Road; and
- Cleveland Street.
The following roads will be closed from 2.15pm or when necessary:
- Jardine's Bazaar;
- Tang Lung Street;
- Canal Road East between Russell Street and Hennessy Road;
- Canal Road West between Sharp Street West and Hennessy Road;
- Wan Chai Road between Canal Road West and Morrison Hill Road; and
- Bowrington Road between Sharp Street West and Hennessy Road.
The following roads will be closed from 2.30pm or when necessary:
- Westbound Causeway Road;
- Moreton Terrace;
- Shelter Street;
- The slip road leading from eastbound Yee Wo Street to westbound Causeway Road;
- Irving Street;
- Pennington Street between Keswick Street and Yee Wo Street;
- Westbound Yee Wo Street;
- Westbound Hennessy Road;
- Lee Garden Road between Kai Chiu Road and Hennessy Road;
- Kai Chiu Road;
- Yun Ping Road between Lan Fong Road and Kai Chiu Road;
- Percival Street between Lockhart Road and Hennessy Road;
- The slip road leading from eastbound Johnston Road to westbound Hennessy Road;
- Thomson Road between Johnston Road and Luard Road;
- Luard Road between Johnston Road and Hennessy Road;
- Fenwick Street between Hennessy Road and Johnston Road;
- Westbound Johnston Road between Ship Street and Hennessy Road; and
- Eastbound Johnston Road between Landale Street and Hennessy Road.
The following roads will be closed from 3.30pm or when necessary:
- Westbound Queensway between Queen¡¯s Road East and Queen¡¯s Road Central;
- Des Voeux Road Central between Queensway and Pedder Street;
- Bank Street;
- Northbound Ice House Street between Queen¡¯s Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central;
- Chater Road between Jackson Road and Murray Road;
- Jackson Road;
- Club Street; and
- The unnamed road between Chater Road and Connaught Road Central.
The following roads will be closed when necessary:
- Yacht Street;
- Lau Li Street between Ngan Mok Street and Hing Fat Street;
- Electric Road between Lau Sin Street and Tsing Fung Street;
- Lau Sin Street between the cul-de-sac outside Park Tower and Hing Fat Street;
- Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Sin Street;
- Northbound Tai Hang Road flyover between a slip road to Tung Lo Wan Road and westbound Gloucester Road service road; and
- Southbound Percival Street between Gloucester Road service road and Lockhart Road.
B. Traffic diversion
The following traffic diversions will be implemented from 1.30pm or when necessary:
- Traffic along southbound Gloucester Road cannot turn right to the u-turn slip road leading to northbound Gloucester Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Yee Wo Street cannot turn left to Sugar Street;
- Traffic along northbound Tai Hang Road flyover cannot turn left to westbound Kingston Street;
- Traffic along southbound Victoria Park Road flyover must turn right to westbound Gloucester Road service road;
- Traffic along southbound Victoria Park Road cannot turn to Cleveland Street;
- Traffic along southbound Paterson Street must turn left to eastbound Kingston Street;
- Traffic along southbound Cleveland Street cannot turn right to westbound Kingston Street; and
- Traffic along westbound Gloucester Road service road cannot turn left to Cleveland Street and Paterson Street.
The following traffic diversions will be implemented from 2.15pm or when necessary:
- Traffic along northbound Pennington Street cannot turn left to Jardine's Bazaar;
- Traffic along westbound Hennessy Road cannot turn left to southbound Canal Road East;
- Traffic along westbound Russell Street must turn left at the junction with Canal Road East;
- Traffic along northbound Canal Road West near the junction with Sharp Street West will be diverted to the up-ramp leading to northbound Canal Road flyover;
- Traffic along eastbound Sharp Street West will be diverted to the up-ramp leading to northbound Canal Road flyover;
- Traffic along eastbound Sharp Street West cannot turn left to northbound Bowrington Road;
- Traffic along northbound Bowrington Road must turn right to eastbound Sharp Street West;
- Traffic along eastbound Wan Chai Road must turn right to southbound Morrison Hill Road; and
- Traffic along the slip road leading from westbound Victoria Park Road to Gloucester Road service road must turn right before the junction with Cleveland Street.
The following traffic diversions will be implemented from 2.30pm or when necessary:
- Traffic from westbound King's Road must turn left to southbound Tung Lo Wan Road, or turn right to northbound Hing Fat Street;
- Traffic along eastbound Tung Lo Wan Road between Moreton Terrace and southbound Tung Lo Wan Road will be re-routed to westbound;
- Traffic along westbound Tung Lo Wan Road cannot turn right to Moreton Terrace;
- Traffic along westbound Tung Lo Wan Road east of Moreton Terrace can turn to the re-routed westbound Tung Lo Wan Road;
- Traffic along southbound Tung Lo Wan Road cannot turn left to the re-routed westbound Tung Lo Wan Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Yee Wo Street cannot turn right to southbound Tung Lo Wan Road or westbound Leighton Road;
- Traffic along northbound Tung Lo Wan Road cannot enter Irving Street and must turn left to westbound Leighton Road;
- Traffic along northbound Pennington Street must turn right to Keswick Street;
- Traffic along northbound Yun Ping Road must turn left to westbound Lan Fong Road;
- Traffic along westbound Leighton Road must turn left to Wong Nai Chung Road except franchised bus;
- Traffic along southbound Percival Street must turn left or right to eastbound or westbound Lockhart Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Lockhart Road cannot turn right to southbound Percival Street;
- Traffic along northbound Tin Lok Lane cannot turn left to westbound Hennessy Road;
- Traffic along southbound Stewart Road cannot right to westbound Hennessy Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Johnston Road cannot turn left to westbound Hennessy Road;
- Traffic along southbound Fleming Road cannot turn right to westbound Hennessy Road;
- Traffic along northbound Fleming Road cannot turn left to westbound Hennessy Road;
- Traffic along southbound Fenwick Street must turn left to eastbound Hennessy Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Hennessy Road cannot turn right to southbound Fenwick Street;
- Traffic along northbound Tai Wong Street East must turn right to eastbound Johnston Road;
- Traffic along westbound Johnston Road cannot turn right to Thomson Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Johnston Road cannot turn left to Thomson Road;
- Traffic along eastbound Johnston Road cannot turn left to northbound Luard Road;
- Traffic along westbound Johnston Road cannot turn right to northbound Luard Road;
- Traffic along westbound Johnston Road must turn left to southbound Ship Street; and
- Traffic along northbound Lun Fat Street and northbound Landale Street must turn right to eastbound Johnston Road.
The following traffic diversions will be implemented from 3.30pm or when necessary:
- Traffic along westbound Queen¡¯s Road East must enter southbound Justice Drive;
- Traffic along northbound Garden Road cannot enter westbound Des Voeux Road Central;
- Traffic along eastbound Des Voeux Road Central must turn left to northbound Pedder Street;
- Traffic along westbound Queen¡¯s Road Central cannot turn right to northbound Ice House Street;
- Traffic along northbound Ice House Street must turn left to westbound Queen¡¯s Road Central;
- Traffic along westbound Lambeth Walk must turn left to southbound Murray Road; and
- Traffic along westbound Connaught Road Central cannot turn left to southbound Club Street.
The following traffic diversions will be implemented when necessary:
- Traffic along northbound Tai Hang Road flyover must go straight to northbound Victoria Park Road flyover leading to westbound Gloucester Road;
- Traffic along westbound Gloucester Road service road cannot turn left to southbound Percival Street;
- Traffic along eastbound Causeway Road cannot turn left to northbound Hing Fat Street; and
- Traffic along westbound King's Road cannot turn right to northbound Hing Fat Street.
C. Suspension of on-street parking spaces
All metered and non-metered on-street parking spaces along Tung Lo Wan Road will be suspended from noon to 8pm.
D. Suspension of car parks
The parking spaces of Hing Fat Street Car Park (Outdoor), except the disabled parking spaces, will be suspended from 10.30am to 7pm.
All public and private car parks along the closed roads may be suspended from 1.30pm until the crowd has dispersed and the roads are re-opened. Vehicles may not be permitted to leave or enter these car parks during the road closure period.
E. Suspension of tram track
The eastbound and westbound tram tracks between Pedder Street and Hing Fat Street will be suspended from 2.30pm or when necessary until the crowd has dispersed.
F. Chater Road pedestrian precinct
Chater Road pedestrian precinct will be implemented between 7am and 11.59pm.
Another two processions will depart King¡¯s Road Playground for Victoria Park and depart Southorn Centre for Chater Road Pedestrian Precinct.
The following roads will be intermittently closed until the crowd is dispersed:
12.30pm onwards:
- Westbound Marble Road;
- Southbound Kam Hong Street;
- Westbound King¡¯s Road; and
- Westbound Causeway Road.
1.30pm onwards:
- Westbound Hennessy Road; and
- Westbound Queensway.
Vehicles may not be permitted to leave or enter car parks along the procession route during the road closure period.
Actual implementation of the traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the area. Motorists are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.
Ends/Monday, June 30, 2014
Issued at HKT 12:30
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