The Highways Department reported on the repair works of Cheong Wan Road Flyover at the inter-departmental press conference this afternoon (November 26). The department would like to point out that the opening of a road depends on th… read more
The Cross-Harbour Tunnel (CHT) will be re-opened to all traffic from 5am tomorrow (November 27). The Transport Department (TD) reminds motorists and member of the public to pay attention to the following traffic arrangements before starting their journeys.
Traffic arrangements
From 5am tomorrow, all four lanes of both bounds of the CHT will be re-opened to traffic. The approach roads to CHT will be re-opened in phases by the Police depending on the prevailing traffic situation. Motorists are advised to pay attention to the instructions of the police officers at the scene.
Arrangements for toll lanes and toll collection
All toll lanes, including seven autotoll and nine manual toll lanes, at the Kowloon side Toll Plaza, will be open simultaneously. The positions of autotoll and manual toll lanes remain unchanged.
Regarding manual toll collection, motorists can continue to pay the toll in cash. If possible, they can give the exact change to save time. While it takes times to repair the “stop-and-go” e-Payment facilities and related systems at toll booths, motorists can pay by Octopus through the hand-held Octopus machines of the tunnel operator. Although toll collection system for contactless credit cards is still under repair and cannot be used temporarily, the current arrangement can meet the needs of most drivers as few of them use this payment method.
Bus services and other public transport arrangements
The bus stops on both sides of the Toll Plaza will be reopened simultaneously. All bus routes originally routing the CHT (including nine routes re-routed via Eastern Harbour Crossing and Western Harbour Crossing, i.e. 101X, 107, 108, 111, 115, 116, 118, 182 and special departure 182X during evening peak hours) will resume their normal routeings via the CHT starting from the first departures tomorrow. The TD will erect directional signs on the pedestrian pathways/footbridges leading to the Toll Plaza to remind the public of the routes to various destinations and bus stops. The bus operators will also deploy additional staff to maintain order.
Exit A and D of the MTR Hung Hom station will be re-opened to facilitate passengers commuting between the bus stops. Besides, the two routes of special free ferry services between Kowloon City and Wan Chai and between Hung Hom and Wan Chai provided for the closure of the CHT will operate until November 29 (Friday).
Footbridge
The north and south footbridges across the Toll Plaza (except the sections connecting to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Hong Tai Path) will be re-opened at the same time. For security consideration, water-filled barriers and nets will be put on both sides of the footbridges. Crowd control measures will be implemented on the footbridges when necessary, for instance, to separate the eastward and westward pedestrian flow. Commuters can also consider using the pavement near the Salisbury Road to walk between Hung Hom station and East Tsim Sha Tsui. Universal accessibility facilities on both sides of the footbridges are still under repair.
Temporary traffic measures will be implemented on roads in the vicinity of CHT. Motorists are advised to drive carefully and exercise tolerance and patience when driving through roads concerned.
The Emergency Transport Coordination Centre of the TD will closely monitor the traffic and public transport arrangements with relevant Government departments, tunnel operators and public transport operators. Members of the public are advised to allow more travelling time and plan their journey in advance. Details of the latest traffic news are available at TD’s website (www.td.gov.hk/en/home/index.html) or mobile application “HKeMobility”.
In response to media enquiries on online rumours about polling, counting and voter turnout for the 2019 District Council Ordinary Election (DCOE), the Registration and Electoral Office (REO) reiterates that public elections in Hong Kong have been held in an open, fair and honest manner, and gives the following reply today (November 26):
Arrangements on the issue of ballot papers
On arrival at the polling station, electors must show to the polling staff at the ballot paper issuing desk the original of their Hong Kong identity card or other specified alternative documents. The polling staff on duty will check the elector’s name and identity card number on the Hong Kong identity card against the entries on the copy of register of electors. Ballot papers will be issued after re-checking of the information by another polling staff. The relevant procedures are stringent.
Arrangements on counting of ballot papers
Counting of votes is conducted in an open and transparent environment, under public scrutiny.
Once the poll closes, candidates, their election agents and polling agents may stay in the polling station to observe the process of locking of ballot boxes, and the conversion of polling stations into counting stations. They can observe the entire counting process at the counting station, which includes the breaking of seals on the ballot boxes, the sorting, separation and counting of ballot papers, the counting of votes recorded on the valid ballot papers and the determination by Presiding Officers (PROs) on the validity of questionable ballot papers. They may also copy what is recorded on the ballot paper account if needed. Other than that, members of the public and reporters are also able to watch the counting process at designated areas inside the counting stations.
Ballot paper below will be classified as questionable ballot paper during the count:
Hong Kong Customs has mounted an operation codenamed “Sunny” since July this year to combat smuggling of illicit heat-not-burn (HNB) products into Hong Kong. Customs officers conducted the second phase of the enforcement operation and mounted an operation codenamed “Sunny II” across the territory from October 31 to today (November 26). In the second phase operation, about 1 million suspected illicit HNB products with an estimated market value of about $3 million and a duty potential of about $2 million were seized. Twenty-four persons were arrested.
During the operation, Customs officers seized the above-mentioned suspected illicit HNB products at Hong Kong International Airport, Tsim Sha Tsui, Lai Chi Kok and Kwun Tong respectively. Six storage and distribution centres were smashed. Sixteen men and eight women, aged between 17 and 57, were also arrested. Customs believes that an HNB products smuggling syndicate was smashed.
In the first phase of the operation, Customs seized about 1.44 million suspected illicit HNB product with an estimated market value of about $4.3 million and a duty potential of about $2.8 million were seized. Eight storage and distribution centres were smashed and 34 persons were arrested.
A total of about 2.44 million suspected illicit HNB products with an estimated market value of about $7.3 million and a duty potential of about $4.8 million were seized so far for the operation. Fifty-eight persons were arrested.
Hong Kong Customs will continue taking stringent enforcement action against illicit cigarette activities of different kinds.
Customs reminds members of the public that under the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO), tobacco products are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any HNB products containing tobacco in content is also dutiable goods subject to the control of the DCO. Any person who imports, possesses, sells or buys dutiable commodities without a valid licence commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for two years.
Members of the public may call the Customs’ hotline at 2815 7711 to enquire whether a specific tobacco or smoking product is under the regulation of the DCO. They may also report any suspected violation of the DCO to Customs’ 24-hour hotline at 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, together with the Deputy Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (Environmental Hygiene), Miss Diane Wong; the Acting Deputy Director of Fire Services… read more