Crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements on July 1
***************************************************************

     Police will implement crowd safety management measures and special traffic arrangements to facilitate two public order events to be held on Hong Kong Island on July 1 (Monday).

(1) Flag Raising Ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai

Special traffic arrangements
----------------------------

A. Road closure

     The following roads will be closed starting today (June 29), except for vehicles with permit:

1. Expo Drive;
2. Expo Drive Central;
3. Expo Drive East;
4. Central–Wan Chai Bypass slip road leading from Central to Wan Chai North; and
5. Central–Wan Chai Bypass slip road leading from Wan Chai North to Eastern District; and
6. Lung Wo Road between Lung Hop Street and Expo Drive East.

B. Traffic diversions

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented during the road closure period:

1. Traffic along northbound Lung Hop Street must turn left to westbound Lung Wo Road;
2. Traffic along eastbound Lung Wo Road must turn right to southbound Lung Hop Street;
3. Traffic along northbound Fleming Road must turn right to eastbound Convention Avenue; and
4. Traffic along westbound Convention Avenue must turn left to southbound Fleming Road.

C. Suspension of parking spaces

     The coach parking spaces on Expo Drive East will be suspended starting today.

(2) Public meeting and public procession starting from Victoria Park

Crowd safety management measures
---------------------------------

     Police will implement crowd safety management measures to facilitate the holding of a public meeting at Victoria Park (the Park) and subsequent public procession.

   In addition to the said event, the “Greater Bay Festival” (the Festival) is being held at the football pitches of the Park. It is also expected that a large crowd will visit Causeway Bay area for sightseeing and shopping on July 1, which is a public holiday. In anticipation of the large number of people in the area, Police will implement a number of temporary traffic control and crowd safety management measures to facilitate the public to attend the Festival or participate in the public order event.

A. Arrangements for the public meeting and Festival at Victoria Park

     The public meeting at Central Lawn of the Park will commence at 2pm and the subsequent public procession will start at 3pm. The public procession will set off to the western and eastern pavements of Legislative Council Road and western pavement of Tim Mei Avenue, venue of another public meeting, via South Boulevard, Basketball Court and Gate 15 of the Park, Causeway Road, Leighton Road, Irving Street, Pennington Street, Yee Wo Street, Hennessy Road, Queensway, Rodney Street and Harcourt Road.

     To ensure that the participants of the public meeting enter the Central Lawn and set off the subsequent process sion sequentially, the organiser will divide the Central Lawn into four sections and their marshals will implement crowd management measure thereat.

   Members of the public participating in the public meeting may enter the Central Lawn of the Park from Tin Hau via Gate 14 (near Hing Fat Street public car park), East Boulevard and North Boulevard; or from Causeway Bay via Gate 7 (near Great George Street), West Boulevard and North Boulevard. For those attending the Festival, they may enter the venue from Tin Hau via Gate 15 on Hing Fat Street or from Causeway Bay via Gates 6 or 7 (near Sugar Street and Great George Street) (see diagram 1).

   The procession will set off at 3pm or when the participants have occupied about 85 per cent of the Central Lawn, whichever is earlier. The procession will depart from the Central Lawn via Exits 1 and 2, and move along the South Boulevard and Gate 15 of the Park to start.

   After the public procession starts, the participants who wish to join can still enter the Central Lawn through the above route. For members of the public attending the Festival, they can enter the venue from Causeway Bay via Gate 6 or 7 or from Tin Hau via Gate 14 on Hing Fat Street as Gate 15 will be used by the procession (see diagram 2).

   Gate 14 on Hing Fat Street is one of the main accesses to the Festival, Police will implement tidal flow measure for crowd safety management during the public meeting and procession. When the procession is passing the Basketball Courts near Gate 14, participants of the public procession should follow Police’s instruction and may have to give way to the Festival attendants when such need arises.

   On the event day, there will be signage displayed in the Park. The public should follow the instructions given by Police officers or event organisers on site to enter the venues in a safe and orderly manner. The Police will implement crowd safety management measures, including tidal flow measures, setting up of segregation points and buffer zones, to properly manage the crowd flow. Depending on the prevailing situation, appropriate crowd safety management measures will also be implemented in Tin Hau and Causeway Bay. If necessary, the Police will arrange the participants to queue up and wait at Tin Hau and Causeway Bay areas to prevent overcrowding inside the Park.

B. Arrangements for public procession

     The procession will proceed along the westbound carriageway of the procession route and the eastbound and westbound tram lanes along Yee Wo Street, Hennessy Road and Queensway. The eastbound carriageway will be reserved as emergency vehicles access and used by other road users. Police will make decision on the opening of traffic lanes according to the prevailing crowd condition.

     The crossing zones outside SOGO Department Store and Paterson Street will be suspended during the procession. Past experience has shown that many procession participants jammed in the procession at these two points, causing obstructions and delay to the main procession from the Park. Moreover, it will also affect the traffic at the eastbound carriageway and its function as emergency vehicles access, posing serious risks to public safety and public order. Procession participants are requested not to jam in at these two points. People who intend to cross Yee Wo Street can use the subway of MTR, Sugar Street footbridge and Percival Street footbridge.

     Participants who wish to leave upon arriving or during the public meeting in Central may leave via various directions towards Admiralty or Wan Chai. They should pay attention to the announcements made by the organiser and follow the instructions given by the Police or event marshals for a safe departure.

     To maintain public safety and public order, Police imposed several conditions to the organiser. The conditions include requesting the organiser to appeal to the participants taking part in fund-raising, hawking or any other propaganda activities to ensure that their stalls or temporarily-erected structures would not cause obstructions to the public procession or endanger the safety of the public procession participants or other road users.

     Members of the public going to Admiralty, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay and Tin Hau are encouraged to use public transport. They should follow the instructions given by Police officers or event marshals, and pay attention to the temporary signage displayed on site.

     It is the policy of the Police to facilitate all lawful public order events and will implement appropriate measures to ensure public safety and public order. Police wish to co-operate closely with the organiser so as to facilitate a safe and orderly public event.

     Police appeal to the event participants to remain calm, be considerate and co-operative, as well as to express their views in a peaceful and rational manner.

Special traffic arrangements
----------------------------

A. Road closure

     The following roads will be closed from about 1.30pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Gloucester Road U-turn slip road between southbound and northbound Gloucester Road underneath Tai Hang Road flyover;
2. Sugar Street;
3. Southbound Gloucester Road between Victoria Park Road flyover and Causeway Road;
4. If necessary, Great George Street;
5. If necessary, Paterson Street between Gloucester Road and Great George Street;
6. If necessary, Kingston Street;
7. If necessary, Cleveland Street;
8. If necessary, Cannon Street;
9. If necessary, Lockhart Road east of Percival Street; and
10. If necessary, Jaffe Road east of Percival Street.

     The following roads will be closed from about 1.45pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Jardine's Bazaar;
2. Tang Lung Street;
3. Canal Road East between Russell Street and Hennessy Road;
4. Canal Road West between Sharp Street West and Hennessy Road;
5. Wan Chai Road between Canal Road West and Morrison Hill Road; and
6. Bowrington Road between Sharp Street West and Hennessy Road.

     The following roads will be closed from about 2pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Westbound Causeway Road;
2. Moreton Terrace;
3. Shelter Street;
4. Eastbound Yee Wo Street slip road leading to westbound Causeway Road;
5. Irving Street;
6. Pennington Street between Keswick Street and Yee Wo Street;
7. Westbound Yee Wo Street;
8. Westbound Hennessy Road;
9. Lee Garden Road between Kai Chiu Road and Hennessy Road;
10. Kai Chiu Road;
11. Yun Ping Road between Lan Fong Road and Kai Chiu Road;
12. Percival Street between Hennessy Road and Russell Street;
13. Tin Lok Lane between Hennessy Road and Wan Chai Road;
14. Eastbound Johnston Road slip road leading to westbound Hennessy Road;
15. Thomson Road between Johnston Road and Luard Road;
16. Luard Road between Johnston Road and Hennessy Road;
17. Fenwick Street between Hennessy Road and Johnston Road;
18. Westbound Johnston Road between Ship Street and Landale Street;
19. Eastbound Johnston Road between Fenwick Street and Hennessy Road;
20. Northbound Fleming Road between Johnston Road and Hennessy Road;
21. If necessary, eastbound Causeway Road;
22. If necessary, westbound Leighton Road slip road leading to Pennington Street;
23. If necessary, eastbound Yee Wo Street;
24. If necessary, eastbound Hennessy Road;
25. If necessary, Lockhart Road between Percival Street and  Arsenal Street;
26. If necessary, Jaffe Road between Percival Street and  Arsenal Street;
27. If necessary, Gloucester Road service road between Percival Street and  Arsenal Street;
28. If necessary, Canal Road West between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;
29. If necessary, Canal Road East between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;
30. If necessary, Percival Street between Lockhart Road and Hennessy Road;
31. If necessary, southbound Canal Road East between Lockhart Road and Hennessy Road;
32. If necessary, Marsh Road between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;
33. If necessary, Marsh Road flyover;
34. If necessary, Tonnochy Road between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;
35. If necessary, southbound Stewart Road between Lockhart Road and Hennessy Road;
36. If necessary, southbound Stewart Road between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;
37. If necessary, southbound Fleming Road between Lockhart Road and Hennessy Road;
38. If necessary, Fleming Road between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;
39. If necessary, Fleming Road flyover;
40. If necessary, Thomson Road between O’Brien Road and Fleming Road;
41. If necessary, O’Brien Road between Lockhart Road and Gloucester Road;
42. If necessary, Luard Road between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road;
43. If necessary, Fenwick Street between Lockhart Road and Hennessy Road;
44. If necessary, Fenwick Street between Gloucester Road and Johnston Road;
45. If necessary, Arsenal Street between Gloucester Road and Hennessy Road; and
46. If necessary, Arsenal Street flyover.

     The following roads will be closed from about 3.30pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Eastbound Queensway between Queen’s Road East and Rodney Street;
2. Westbound Harcourt Road between Harcourt Garden car park exit and Cotton Tree Drive;
3. Southbound Tim Wa Avenue between Lung Wo Road and Harcourt Road, except for vehicles heading for the Chief Executive’s Office and Central Government Offices (CGO) car park;
4. Southbound Edinburgh Place between Lung Wo Road and Connaught Road Central;
5. Southbound Rodney Street;
6. Northbound Garden Road between Lambeth Walk and Harcourt Road;
7. Northbound Garden Road flyover leading to eastbound Queensway;
8. Westbound Harcourt Road service road U-turn slip road;
9. Eastbound Harcourt Road between Tim Wa Avenue and Edinburgh Place;
10. If necessary, Queensway;
11. If necessary, Tim Mei Avenue between Lung Wui Road and Harcourt Road;
12. If necessary, Legislative Council Road between Lung Wui Road and Lung Wo Road;
13. If necessary, Lung Wui Road;
14. If necessary, northbound Rodney Street;
15. If necessary, Drake Street;
16. If necessary, Tamar Street;
17. If necessary, southbound Cotton Tree Drive slip road leading to eastbound Queensway;
18. If necessary, southbound Cotton Tree Drive between westbound Harcourt Road and Queensway;
19. If necessary, northbound Garden Road slip road leading to northbound Cotton Tree Drive;
20. If necessary, Murray Road between Harcourt Road and Queensway;
21. If necessary, eastbound Des Voeux Road Central between Pedder Street and Queensway; and
22. If necessary, northbound Ice House Street between Queen’s Road Central and Des Voeux Road Central.

     The following roads will be closed when necessary until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Yacht Street;
2. Ngan Mok Street;
3. Lau Li Street between King’s Road and Hing Fat Street;
4. Electric Road between Lau Li Street and Wing Hing Street;
5. Wing Hing Street west of King’s Road;
6. Hing Fat Street between Causeway Road and Lau Sin Street;
7. Northbound Tai Hang Road flyover; and
8. Southbound Percival Street between Gloucester Road and Lockhart Road.

B. Traffic diversions

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from about 1.30pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Traffic along southbound Gloucester Road cannot turn right to northbound Gloucester Road underneath Tai Hang Road flyover;
2. Traffic along eastbound Yee Wo Street cannot turn left to Sugar Street;
3. Traffic along southbound Victoria Park Road flyover must turn right to westbound Gloucester Road service road;
4. If necessary, traffic along northbound Tai Hang Road flyover cannot turn left to westbound Kingston Street;
5. If necessary, traffic along southbound Paterson Street must turn left to eastbound Kingston Street;
6. If necessary, traffic along southbound Cleveland Street cannot turn right to westbound Kingston Street;
7. If necessary, traffic along westbound Gloucester Road service road cannot turn left to southbound Cleveland Street and southbound Paterson Street;
8. If necessary, traffic along westbound Victoria Park Road slip road cannot enter Cleveland Street;
9. If necessary, traffic along eastbound Lockhart Road must turn left to Canal Road West;
10. If necessary, traffic along northbound Cannon Street cannot turn left to westbound Jaffe Road; and
11. If necessary, traffic along southbound Canal Road East must turn left to Jaffe Road.

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from about 1.45pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Traffic along Pennington Street cannot turn left to Jardine's Bazaar;
2. Traffic along westbound Hennessy Road cannot turn left to southbound Canal Road East;
3. Traffic along westbound Russell Street must turn left to southbound Canal Road East;
4. Traffic along northbound Canal Road West near Sharp Street West will be diverted to the up-ramp leading to northbound Canal Road flyover;
5. Traffic along eastbound Sharp Street West will be diverted to the up-ramp leading to northbound Canal Road flyover;
6. Traffic along eastbound Sharp Street West cannot turn left to northbound Bowrington Road;
7. Traffic along northbound Bowrington Road must turn right to eastbound Sharp Street West; and
8. Traffic along eastbound Wan Chai Road must turn right to southbound Morrison Hill Road.

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from about 2pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Traffic from westbound King's Road must turn left to southbound Tung Lo Wan Road or turn right to northbound Hing Fat Street;
2. Traffic along westbound Tung Lo Wan Road cannot enter Moreton Terrace;
3. Eastbound Tung Lo Wan Road between St. Paul’s Hospital and Moreton Terrace will be re-routed westbound;
4. Traffic along southbound Tung Lo Wan Road cannot turn left to the re-routed westbound Tung Lo Wan Road between St Paul’s Hospital and Moreton Terrace;
5. Traffic along eastbound Yee Wo Street cannot turn right to southbound Tung Lo Wan Road or westbound Leighton Road;
6. Traffic along northbound Tung Lo Wan Road cannot enter Irving Street and must turn left to westbound Leighton Road;
7. Traffic along Pennington Street must turn right to Keswick Street;
8. Traffic along northbound Yun Ping Road must turn left to westbound Lan Fong Road;
9. Traffic along westbound Leighton Road must turn left to Wong Nai Chung Road, except for franchised buses;
10. Traffic along southbound Percival Street will be diverted to Lockhart Road or eastbound Hennessy Road;
11. Traffic along northbound Tin Lok Lane cannot turn left to westbound Hennessy Road;
12. Traffic along northbound Tin Lok Lane must turn left to westbound Wan Chai Road;
13. Traffic along Stewart Road cannot turn right to westbound Hennessy Road;
14. Traffic along eastbound Johnston Road cannot turn left to westbound Hennessy Road;
15. Traffic along northbound Fleming Road cannot turn left to westbound Hennessy Road;
16. Traffic along eastbound Hennessy Road cannot turn right to southbound Fenwick Street;
17. Traffic along Tai Wong Street East must turn right to eastbound Johnston Road;
18. Traffic along Johnston Road cannot enter Thomson Road;
19. Traffic along Johnston Road cannot enter northbound Luard Road;
20. Traffic along westbound Johnston Road must turn left to Ship Street;
21. Traffic along Lun Fat Street must turn right to eastbound Johnston Road;
22. Traffic along westbound Johnston Road from Landale Street must turn left to Anton Street;
23. Traffic along Queen’s Road East cannot turn left to Landale Street;
24. If necessary, traffic along westbound Gloucester Road cannot turn left to southbound Canal Road East;
25. If necessary, traffic along westbound Lockhart Road cannot turn right to Percival Street;
26. If necessary, traffic along westbound Gloucester Road cannot turn left to southbound Marsh Road;
27. If necessary, traffic along Steward Road will be diverted to Lockhart Road;
28. If necessary, traffic along southbound Fleming Road will be diverted to Lockhart Road;
29. If necessary, traffic along westbound Harbour Road cannot turn left to southbound Fleming Road flyover;
30. If necessary, traffic along westbound Gloucester Road cannot turn left to southbound Fleming Road;
31. If necessary, traffic along Wan Chai Road cannot turn right to northbound Fleming Road;
32. If necessary, traffic along westbound Gloucester Road cannot turn left to southbound O’Brien Road;
33. If necessary, traffic along eastbound Johnston Road cannot turn left to Thomson Road;
34. If necessary, traffic along eastbound Johnston Road cannot turn left to Fleming road;
35. If necessary, traffic along eastbound Johnston Road must turn right to Burrows Street;
36. If necessary, traffic along westbound Gloucester Road cannot turn left to southbound Luard Road;
37. If necessary, traffic along southbound Fenwick Street will be diverted to Lockhart Road;
38. If necessary, traffic along westbound Gloucester Road cannot turn left to southbound Fenwick Street;
39. If necessary, traffic along westbound Gloucester Road cannot turn left to southbound Arsenal Street; and
40. If necessary, traffic along westbound Leighton Road cannot turn right to northbound Pennington Street.

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented from about 3.30pm until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Traffic along northbound Justice Drive must turn left to westbound Queensway;
2. Traffic along eastbound Connaught Road Central will be intermittently prohibited from entering the ground level of eastbound Harcourt Road, and must go straight to eastbound Harcourt Road flyover;
3. Traffic along westbound Harcourt Road near Harcourt Garden car park exit will be diverted to westbound Harcourt Road flyover;
4. Traffic along northbound Garden Road must turn left to westbound Lambeth Walk;
5. Traffic along Lung Wo Road cannot enter Tim Wa Avenue, except for vehicles heading for the Chief Executive’s Office and CGO car park;
6. Traffic along Lung Wo Road cannot enter southbound Edinburgh Place;
7. If necessary, traffic along eastbound Queensway cannot turn left to northbound Tamar Street;
8. If necessary, traffic along eastbound Des Voeux Road Central must turn left to northbound Pedder Street;
9. If necessary, traffic along westbound Queen’s Road Central cannot turn right to northbound Ice House Street;
10. If necessary, traffic along northbound Ice House Street must turn left to westbound Queen’s Road Central;
11. If necessary, traffic from United Centre bus terminus must turn left to westbound Drake Street;
12. If necessary, traffic along westbound Harcourt Road cannot turn left to southbound Murray Road;
13. If necessary, traffic along Garden Road flyover cannot enter eastbound Queensway;
14. If necessary, traffic along southbound Cotton Tree Drive will be diverted to southbound Cotton Tree Drive flyover;
15. If necessary, traffic along eastbound Queensway must turn right to southbound Cotton Tree Drive;
16. If necessary, traffic along westbound Lung Wo Road cannot enter Tim Mei Avenue;
17. If necessary, traffic along westbound Fenwick Pier Street cannot enter Lung Wui Road; and
18. If necessary, traffic along eastbound Harcourt Road cannot turn left to Tim Mei Avenue.

     The following traffic diversions will be implemented when necessary until the crowd has dispersed and traffic resumes normal:

1. Traffic along northbound Tai Hang Road flyover must go straight to northbound Victoria Park Road flyover leading to westbound Gloucester Road;
2. Traffic along westbound Gloucester Road service road cannot turn left to southbound Percival Street;
3. Traffic along eastbound Causeway Road cannot turn left to northbound Hing Fat Street;
4. Traffic along westbound King’s Road will be diverted to Tsing Fung Street flyover;
5. Traffic along southbound Wing Hing Street must turn left to eastbound King’s Road; and
6. Traffic along westbound King's Road cannot turn right to northbound Hing Fat Street.

C. Suspension of parking spaces

     All parking spaces at Hing Fat Street public car park, disabled parking spaces on northbound Gloucester Road near Sugar Street, and all on-street parking spaces on Tung Lo Wan Road will be suspended from about 10.30am to 8pm.

     All on-street parking spaces, motorcycle parking spaces and disabled parking spaces on eastbound Lung Wui Road opposite to CITIC Tower will be suspended from about 12 noon to 11.59pm.

     During the road closure period, vehicles will not be allowed to enter or leave car parks on the closed roads.

     Any vehicles found illegally parked within the precincts of the special traffic arrangements will be towed away without prior notice, and subject to multiple ticketing.

     Actual implementation of the crowd safety management measures and traffic arrangements will be made depending on traffic and crowd conditions in the areas. Members of the public are advised to exercise tolerance and patience and take heed of instructions of the Police on site.

Ends/Saturday, June 29, 2019
Issued at HKT 19:14

NNNN