TD reminds public transport operators to provide adequate services on first school day

     The Transport Department (TD) today (August 26) said that major public transport operators (PTOs) have been reminded to provide adequate services, and enhance service frequency and deploy standby services when necessary to cater for passengers' demand on the first school day (September 2).
 
     The TD has sought information from the Education Bureau on the locations of new schools and students commuting to schools across districts, thereby reviewing the neighbouring traffic and transport arrangements. Special routes serving school areas will be resumed. Meanwhile, local franchised bus operators providing services to and from land boundary control points (BCPs) and cross-boundary coach operators have been reminded to provide adequate services for cross-boundary students. The TD has also requested relevant departments to review road works being or to be carried out on major roads to minimise the traffic impact at the commencement of the school term.

     "The operation of the TD's Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre (ETCC) will be escalated to the highest tier, the Joint Steering Mode, on the morning of September 2 to jointly and closely monitor the real-time traffic and public transport services on the first school day in collaboration with the Police and PTOs. Staff will be deployed at major public transport interchanges and school areas across the territory for on-site monitoring, including school areas such as Kowloon Tong, Po Kong Village Road in Wong Tai Sin, Kwai Shing Circuit in Kwai Chung and Braemar Hill in North Point, land BCPs and tunnels. They will report the latest situation to the ETCC for service enhancement and implementation of traffic management measures accordingly where necessary, such as adjustment to on-street traffic signals timing and liaison with the Police for assistance in traffic dispersion," a spokesman for the TD said.

     Students should familiarise themselves early with public transport routes to and from their schools and the service frequencies, especially those attending a new school soon, the spokesman added. The TD anticipated that the overall road traffic on that day will be busier, and students should allow more time and pay attention to the latest traffic news. They should also take heed of road safety on their journeys, properly use crossing facilities to cross the roads, and not eat, drink, play mobile games, use a mobile phone, or listen to any audio device etc when crossing the roads.

     Motorists are advised to avoid driving to school areas. Nanny van operators should obtain the TD's prior approval for each school to be served. Drivers of nanny vans and school buses should heighten their vigilance and drive carefully, particularly on steep roads or narrow lanes, or when turning and reversing. Speeding or overloading is prohibited. An escort should be provided on board when serving kindergarten or primary school students. Escorts should assist students to wear seat belts and ensure that they and all students have properly fastened their seat belts, if provided, before the nanny vans and school buses depart. Students should never be left unattended in the vehicles. Parents should agree in advance with schools and operators of nanny vans or school buses on the locations of picking up and dropping off their children.

     The ETCC will disseminate the latest information on traffic news of various districts to the public as appropriate. Members of the public are advised to pay attention to the media broadcast or the TD's mobile application "HKeMobility" or website (www.td.gov.hk). For enquiries, please call the TD's hotline on 2804 2600 or 1823. Details of the operators' service are also available on their hotlines and websites: