The Transport Department (TD) today (February 9) reminded the public that temporary road closures will be implemented in phases between 11.30pm this Saturday (February 11) to about 2pm this Sunday (February 12) to facilitate the holding of the Hong Kong Marathon 2017.
 
     This year, the 10-kilometre races will continue to be held on the Island Eastern Corridor and the finishing point of the 10km race and half and full marathon races will be located at Victoria Park.
 
     For the 10km race, both the east- and west-bound carriageways of the Island Eastern Corridor between Victoria Park Road and Shau Kei Wan will be closed from 1.30am on Sunday. Traffic along the Island Eastern Corridor will be diverted to King's Road and Shau Kei Wan Road. Traffic to and from the Eastern Harbour Crossing will be diverted to the Sai Wan Ho exit/entrance.
 
     For the half and full marathons, road closures and traffic diversions will be implemented in phases at various locations on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and in the New Territories from 11.30pm on Saturday (February 11). The races will continue to start at Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, make use of Nathan Road (section from Tsim Sha Tsui to Argyle Street), Argyle Street, Cherry Street, Lin Cheung Road, West Kowloon Highway, Tsing Sha Highway, Stonecutters Bridge, Nam Wan Tunnel, Cheung Tsing Highway, Ting Kau Bridge, Cheung Tsing Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Tsing Kwai Highway, West Kowloon Highway, Western Harbour Crossing, Connaught Road West flyover, Man Po Street, Yiu Sing Street, Lung Wo Road, Fenwick Pier Street, Convention Avenue, Expo Drive, Expo Drive Central, Expo Drive East, Convention Avenue, Hung Hing Road, Marsh Road flyover, Lockhart Road, Percival Street, Hennessy Road, Yee Wo Street and Sugar Street, and will finish at Victoria Park.
 
     Due to the continuous use of Nathan Road northbound between Tsim Sha Tsui and Argyle Street, Nathan Road southbound between Tsim Sha Tsui and Gascoigne Road flyover and Argyle Street as race routes for half and full marathons in Kowloon side this year, the road closure involved in the Yau Tsim Mong area will be extensive. Traffic heading to and from the area (west of Nathan Road and south of Argyle Street) will be restricted to Prince Edward and Tsim Sha Tsui starting from 4am to about 10.15am on Sunday. Meanwhile, the public transport service in the Yau Tsim Mong area will be subject to extensive adjustments. The public heading to Mong Kok West, Jordan and Tsim Sha Tsui are particularly advised to switch to using railway services.
 
     Similar to last year, Hennessey Road eastbound between Percival Street and Yee Wo Street and Yee Wo Street eastbound will be closed and continue to be used as the race route. Public transport services operating along Hennessy Road and Yee Wo Street (North Point bound) will also be diverted to other roads on the race day. 
 
     Since the full marathon will use the Kowloon bound carriageways of Cheung Tsing Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel and Nam Wan Tunnel as the race route, vehicles from Lantau Link (Tsing Ma Bridge) to Kowloon will be diverted to use Tsing Yi North Coastal Road. It is anticipated that the traffic at North Lantau Highway, Tsing Ma Toll Plaza, Tsing Ma Bridge and the vicinity of North West Tsing Yi Interchange may be congested.
 
     The road closures will not affect vehicles from Hong Kong Island/Kowloon/New Territories East heading for the airport and Lantau Island. The Kowloon-bound tube of the Western Harbour Crossing will remain in operation. Due to the closure of Ting Kau Bridge (Kowloon bound), motorists travelling from New Territories West to the airport and Lantau Island via Tuen Mun Road or Tai Lam Tunnel will be diverted to use Tsuen Wan Road, Tsuen Tsing Interchange, Tsing Tsuen Road, Tsing Tsuen Bridge, Tam Kong Shan Interchange and Tsing Yi North Coastal Road heading for Tsing Ma Bridge.
 
     The Hong Kong-bound tube of the Western Harbour Crossing will be closed from 12.45am on Sunday until the end of all marathon races and re-opening of roads. Motorists heading for Hong Kong Island are advised to use other tunnels.
 
     In connection with the road closures for the marathon, about 220 bus routes and 40 green minibus routes will be diverted, truncated or suspended in phases from 11.15pm on Saturday until the re-opening of roads on Sunday. Affected bus routes include cross-harbour routes using the Eastern Harbour Crossing and the Western Harbour Crossing; routes on Hong Kong Island travelling along the Island Eastern Corridor and in Central and Western district, Wan Chai and Causeway Bay areas; routes in Kowloon operating along Nathan Road, Argyle Street, Shanghai Street, Jordan Road and other major trunk roads in the Yau Tsim Mong area; and routes via Ting Kau Bridge, Cheung Tsing Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel and Nam Wan Tunnel. The following bus termini will be temporarily suspended:
 
Hong Kong Island: Tin Hau Station Public Transport Interchange, Expo Drive East Bus Terminus in Wan Chai North, Wan Chai North Temporary Public Transport Interchange, Central Ferry Piers Bus Terminus and Whitfield Road Bus Terminus in Causeway Bay.
 
Kowloon: China Hong Kong City Public Transport Interchange, Jordan To Wah Road Bus Terminus and Mong Kok (Park Avenue) Bus Terminus.
 
     To enable participants to go to Tsim Sha Tsui and Victoria Park in Causeway Bay to prepare for the races, the first departures of Mass Transit Railway services will be advanced on Sunday. The details are as follows:
 
Lines                              Directions                                     First departures from
                                                                                           terminal stations
--------                           --------------                                    ---------------------------
Island Line                      From Chai Wan to                           3.56am
                                            Kennedy Town                           
Island Line                      From Kennedy Town to                   4.08am
                                            Chai Wan
Tsuen Wan Line              From Tsuen Wan to                         3.55am
                                            Central
Tsuen Wan Line              From Central to                               4.22am
                                            Tsuen Wan
Kwun Tong Line              From Tiu King Leng to                      3.46am
                                            Whampoa
Kwun Tong Line              From Whampoa to                           4.08am
                                            Tiu King Leng
Tseung Kwan O Line       From LOHAS Park to                         3.57am
                                            North Point
Tseung Kwan O Line       From Po Lam to                                4am
                                            North Point
South Island Line            From South Horizons to                   4.02am
                                            Admiralty
Tung Chung Line             From Tung Chung to                        3.40am
                                            Hong Kong
East Rail Line                  From Sheung Shui to                       3.25am
                                            Hung Hom
Ma On Shan Line             From Wu Kai Sha to                        3.30am
                                            Tai Wai
West Rail Line                 From Tuen Mun to                           3.25am
                                            Hung Hom
 
     On the other hand, 16 "R route" special bus services will be operated for runners going to Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay on Sunday, comprising R270 and R271 to Tsim Sha Tsui, and R108, R307, R603, R673, R678, R680, R930, R934, R936, R948, R960, R961, R962 and R969 to Causeway Bay.
 
     Bus stops, taxi stands, taxi pick-up/drop-off points, public light bus/green minibus stands, roadside parking spaces and private car parks within the closed roads will also be suspended.
 
     The terminus of the cross boundary coach service between Wan Chai and Huanggang at the Wan Chai North Temporary Public Transport Interchange will be suspended from 4.30am on Sunday until the re-opening of roads. A temporary terminus will be provided at Hennessy Road eastbound underneath O'Brien Road footbridge.
 
     The commencement time of the pedestrian precinct on Chater Road in Central as well as Lockhart Road, East Point Road and Great George Street in Causeway Bay will be postponed to 3pm on Sunday or upon the re-opening of the major roads on Hong Kong Island.
 
     Taxi and public light bus drivers who go to Wan Chai North for gasoline refilling are advised to take note of the road closures in the area.
 
     Members of the public and tourists heading for Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, Hong Kong Airport Express Line (AEL) Station, Kowloon AEL Station, China Ferry Terminal (China Hong Kong City) or Ocean Terminal are advised to plan their journey early to avoid any delay caused by road closures and traffic diversions.
 
     The TD anticipates that the traffic on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and in the New Territories will be more significantly congested when compared with normal Sundays, including:
 
* Kowloon: The Yau Tsim Mong area including the vicinity of Nathan Road and Argyle Street, Wylie Road, Gascoigne Road flyover, West Kowloon Corridor and Cross Harbour Tunnel (both directions), with the chance of having long traffic queues along Gascoigne Road flyover and West Kowloon Corridor in particular being very high;
 
* Hong Kong Island: Island North, Causeway Bay and Wan Chai areas, including Victoria Park Road, King's Road, Shau Kei Wan Road, Gloucester Road, Connaught Road Central, Queensway, Central Ferry Pier areas and Aberdeen Tunnel (Wan Chai bound); and
 
* New Territories South: Kowloon bound Lantau Link and North West Tsing Yi Interchange.
 
     Members of the public planning to go to the affected areas are advised to allow more time to get to their destinations and stay alert to the latest traffic news on radio and television. They are advised to use rail services as far as possible and plan their journeys ahead. In case of traffic congestion, motorists are urged to exercise patience and follow the instructions of the Police.
 
     For information about the special traffic and transport information, members of the public may call 1823 Call Centre, browse the TD's website at www.td.gov.hk or make use of the TD's "eTraffic News" mobile application.

Ends/Thursday, February 9, 2017
Issued at HKT 15:05

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