Tag Archives: China

Attention TV/radio announcers: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:      Here is an item of interest to swimmers.      The Leisure and Cultural Services Department… read more

     The Government announced today (May 29) that, starting from May 30, designated stopping places within the prohibited zones of the Shenzhen Bay Port and the Hong Kong Port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will be open for use by two taxi fleets currently under trial operations (namely Joie and SynCab) to facilitate the fleets in picking up passengers with pre-booked trips. Passengers can book their journeys through the fleets’ mobile applications or other online hailing channels, and board the taxis at the designated stopping places. The locations of these designated stopping places are shown in the Annex.

     A spokesman for the Transport Department (TD) said, “The measure provides convenience to members of the public and visitors to enjoy quality fleet taxi services, and enables fleet operators to collect operational data and passenger feedback during trial operations, with a view to providing reliable services of higher quality at the time of official service commencement.”

     At this stage, the above two fleets operate a total of about 300 taxis on a trial basis, and they will be issued with a prohibited zone permit by the TD. The taxis will feature an exclusive livery design or marking for the public’s easy identification. For the remaining three selected taxi fleets, the TD will also open the designated stopping places for their use when they commence trial operations.

     The spokesman said, “The Government is committed to enhancing taxi service quality, and the introduction of taxi fleets is one of the key initiatives. The TD will continue to actively promote and assist the gearing-up work of the fleets with a view to commencing operations early.” read more

     As the rainstorm warning has been issued by the Hong Kong Observatory, the Labour Department (LD) reminds employers and contractors that they should adopt necessary work arrangements and take suitable safety measures to protect the safety of their employees when they are carrying out electrical work or handling electrical plant.

     A spokesman for the LD said today (May 29) that employers and contractors should avoid assigning employees to carry out electrical work (like electric arc welding work) or handle electrical plant at places affected by rainstorms, and should refer to the “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions'” and the “Guide on Safety at Work in times of Inclement Weather” issued by the LD.

     Even if electrical work is carried out or electrical plant is handled at places not affected by the rainstorm, suitable safety measures must still be adopted to prevent electric shock as the air would be more humid. Such measures include:

(i) Ensure that all live parts of an electrical installation are isolated from the power supply source and rendered dead, and the isolation from the power supply source must be maintained as long as electrical work is being carried out;

(ii) Before carrying out any electrical work or handling any electrical plant, cut off and lock out the power supply source, then test the circuit concerned to confirm it is dead and display suitable warning notices, and issue a work permit thereafter;

(iii) Ensure that protective devices (such as suitable and adequate fuses and circuit breakers) for the electrical installations or electrical plant have been installed and maintained in good working order, and portable electric tools must be double-insulated or properly earthed;

(iv) Provide suitable personal protective equipment such as insulating gloves and insulating mats for employees; and

(v) If live electrical work is unavoidable, a comprehensive risk assessment should be conducted by a competent person and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken to remove or properly control the electrical hazards involved before such work can proceed.

     In addition, employees should co-operate with the employer or contractor to follow the safety instructions and use the safety equipment provided.

     The LD has published guidebooks and leaflets on electrical work safety. These safety publications are available free from divisional offices of the department or can be downloaded from its website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/content2_8.htm).

     Should there be any questions about occupational safety and health matters, please contact the Occupational Safety Officer of the LD at 2559 2297. read more

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations: Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:      Members of the public are advised to report any street flooding that comes to … read more

     The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, released the following information today (May 29) on the traffic and public transport arrangements for the upcoming Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland.

     During the Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland, in anticipation of a large number of Mainland visitors and cross-boundary vehicles travelling between the Mainland and Hong Kong via various land-based boundary control points (BCPs), particularly on the first day (May 31) and the last day (June 2), the Transport Department (TD) urged travellers to plan their trips in advance and allow sufficient travelling time.

     For public transport services, the TD has co-ordinated with local and cross-boundary public transport operators (PTOs) to enhance their capacity and reserve sufficient vehicles and manpower to meet the travel needs of passengers, including:
 

• increasing the frequency of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) shuttle bus (Gold Bus) to within one minute during peak hours;
• increasing the frequency of the Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang cross-boundary shuttle bus (Yellow Bus) to about two minutes at its highest frequency;
• increasing the quota of cross-boundary coaches to strengthen services;
• increasing the frequency of local franchised bus B routes connecting various land-based BCPs to a level higher than that of normal weekends or Sundays during the peak hours;
• the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) will enhance the train services of the East Rail Line between Admiralty and Lo Wu/Lok Ma Chau at different times. Relevant telecommunication network operators and the MTRCL have also enhanced the mobile network and Wi-Fi capacity at cross-boundary stations to provide convenient access to the network for passengers in need; and
• local public transport services for various tourist hotspots will also be strengthened.

     It is anticipated that the waiting time for public transport services, including the Gold Bus, may be longer. Passengers should make their journeys during non-peak hours, observe order while queuing and heed advice from on-site Police and staff of PTOs concerned. Passengers of cross-boundary coaches are also advised to reserve their coach tickets in advance.

     Motorists are advised that, subject to actual traffic conditions, special traffic arrangements may be implemented at the Lok Ma Chau Control Point and the Shenzhen Bay Port from May 31 to June 2 to allow smooth access of public transport vehicles to the above control points. Cross-boundary private cars may need to queue up for crossing the BCPs. Motorists should pay extra attention to variable message signs and traffic signs along the roads. In case of traffic congestion, they should remain patient and follow the instructions of on-site Police.

     For the HZMB, to plan their journeys ahead, members of the public can make use of the TD’s HKeMobility mobile app or the TD’s website (hkemobility.gov.hk/en/traffic-information/live/cctv) to access snapshots of traffic conditions at inbound and outbound vehicle plazas of the HZMB Hong Kong Port. They can also check real-time situations of the vehicle clearance plaza of the Zhuhai Port through WeChat official accounts “hzmbzhport” or “zhuhaifabu” (traffic-info.gzazhka.com:5015/#/) (Chinese only), and check the forecasts of peak hours of inbound and outbound vehicles at the HZMB Zhuhai Port through the WeChat official account of the HZMB integrated information dissemination platform (mp.weixin.qq.com/s/QAQTRVe3lJFFqEK11mVUWw) (Chinese only). Moreover, motorists are reminded to always comply with the traffic control measures implemented by the Zhuhai authority when driving on the HZMB Main Bridge. Vehicles shall not occupy the emergency lane unless instructed by the Zhuhai authority.

     The TD’s Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will continue to operate 24 hours to closely monitor the traffic conditions and public transport services of different districts including various BCPs and major stations. The TD will disseminate the latest traffic information through various channels. Members of the public are advised to check the latest traffic news through radio, television broadcasts, and the HKeMobility application.

     The interdepartmental working group on festival arrangements is tasked with holistically co-ordinating and steering the preparatory work of various government departments for welcoming visitors to Hong Kong during the Tuen Ng Festival long weekend of the Mainland, as well as strengthening information dissemination to enable the public and visitors to plan their itineraries according to the latest situation. read more