The following is issued on behalf of the Transport Advisory Committee:

     The Transport Advisory Committee (TAC) was briefed today (February 27) by the Highways Department (HyD) in respect of its contingency measures and recovery works in road emergencies under extreme weather conditions. 

     Located in a subtropical region, Hong Kong is susceptible to threats such as tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall and storm surges. With the intensification of climate change, the threat of extreme weather is expected to become more frequent and serious. The Government is committed to taking precautionary measures to enhance the resilience of various infrastructures against extreme weather in order to protect the lives and properties of citizens. 

     On transport infrastructure, the HyD is taking forward a series of preventive measures including the inspection of roads with higher risk, drainage facilities of structures and roadside slopes, etc. The four Emergency Control Centres under the HyD will operate throughout periods of inclement weather to monitor the latest conditions of major public roads in real time and handle road emergencies when necessary. The Emergency Control Centres will also liaise closely with other government departments to provide support in handling emergency incidents in a comprehensive manner. After the threat of inclement weather has subsided, the HyD will carry out road clearance and recovery works for damaged road facilities at full steam, with a view to resuming the public roads and traffic as soon as possible and minimising the impact on travel for the public.  

     To strengthen its response to the impact of extreme weather on public roads, the HyD has completed a review of the resilience of 75 critical road infrastructures against the threat of flooding. It is now conducting a technical assessment and drawing up an implementation plan for the relevant countermeasures. Meanwhile, the HyD is also working on the installation of flood warning systems for some pedestrian subways near riversides in phases, and exploring the installation of closed-circuit television systems at pedestrian subways in low-lying areas with higher risks so as to further enhance the monitoring.

     The TAC Chairman, Professor Stephen Cheung, said, "Members support the various measures undertaken by the HyD to cope with extreme weather conditions and take note of the latest progress of the recovery works at Shek O Road and Yiu Hing Road. We believe that the HyD will continue to step up its efforts in enhancing its capability in handling road emergencies under extreme weather, allowing the community to resume normal operation as early as possible."

Ends/Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Issued at HKT 16:30

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