21st June 2018 - FSK - Hiram's Highway Stage 1 - Traffic Jams

Now that China State Construction​-​caused traffic jams are increasing, ​Guy Shirra ​ha​s​ spoken ​to ​the the acting Chief Highways Engineer, Patrick LIANG​,​ about their policy​ on keeping traffic on Hiram's Highway moving smoothly for the next four years of Stage 1 construction​.

He stated that barring ​"​emergencies​"​, they will leave both lanes open ​on working days ​before 1000hrs and after 1500hrs and​,​ in the event of emergency closures, inform the police traffic branch Road Management Office by telephone​ so that any disruption can be properly managed.​

​Guy​ also discussed this with a friend who is the superintendent in charge of Kowloon East traffic police enforcement​ who confirmed the standing arrangements with the Highways Department.

​It remains to be seen how much​ regular "highway improvement" disruption there will be BETWEEN the hours of 1000 and 1500 on working days....

​FSK members are encouraged to report Hiram's Highway traffic jams​ to either:

Sai Kung police report room on 3661 1630 or

Kowloon East traffic police report room on 3661 1636

as the more complaints they receive, the more likely they are to force the Highways Department to get a grip of the continuing China State Construction chaos.

Facebook users are also encouraged to join and make use of Sai Kung Traffic News and Parking Places: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1533973080165930/

Thank you to Sandy Kwong for the kind translation 🙏🏼😊👍🏼

由於中國建築造成的交通阻塞不斷增加，Guy Shirra與代理首席高速公路工程師Patrick LIANG談及他們在未來四年如何為西貢公路第一階段建設保持交通順暢的政策。

他表示，除非發生“緊急情況”，他們將在工作日的10:00前和15:00後開放兩條公路，如要緊急封閉公路, 會以電話通知警察交通分局道路管理辦公室以便妥善管理。

Guy Shirra還與一位負責九龍東交警執法的主管朋友討論了這件事，他證實與路政署作出的這個安排。

在工作日的10:00和15:00之間會有多少常規交通阻塞還有待觀察。

鼓勵大家報告西貢公路的交通堵塞情況：

西貢警方報案室3661 1630或

九龍東交警大隊報案室3661 1636

隨著交警收到越多的投訴，他們越有可能迫使路政署正視西貢公路交通阻塞的混亂局面。

10th June 2016 - Update on the Hiram's highway saga from an FSK member -

Further to the concerns raised this morning I have walked the site from Ho Chung to Pak Wai and can confirm that tree felling has not commenced.

What has commenced is surveying of the section from Pak Wai to the northern entrance to Marina Cove. The area is pegged out with yellow flags which marks out a datum along the alignment much the same as has already been done along the Ho Chung riverbank. I expect this to continue along the rest of the alignment and probably be complete next week. This is consistent with what I was told by China State in that surveying will be done to end June and tree felling will commence in July. When tree felling does commence it will be phased and I believe will start at the Pak Wai end but this has not been clarified.

I enclose 6 photos from today. What struck me was the loss of the 5 beauties which have to give way at the new Pak Wai roundabout and the sheer number of mature trees along the Marina Cove boundary. Another thing was the look of disbelief on at least one of the workers faces.

7th June 2015 - FSK has, in its policy against the dualling of Hiram's Highway, always urged the government to pedestrianise SK Town on weekends and public holidays and to build park n rides on both sides of town with a free electric shuttle bus service into town.

SCMP Letter today:

Weekend cars a nightmare for Sai Kung

At weekends Sai Kung is held hostage by visitors.

There is a very limited presence by anyone representing the authorities, which allows drivers to do basically whatever they like.

One weekend last month, the taxi rank in Chan Man Street was full of private cars.I called the police but the number for the report room just rang and rang. I then walked to the police station where I put my mobile on speakerphone so the officers could hear the call just ringing out. "What?" one of them asked.

I replied, "This is the number for the Sai Kung Report Room and it's just ringing out, but there's no phone ringing in here."

The officer, with a puzzled look on his face, looked at a telephone, pointed to it and said, "That's this one, it's not working… Anyway, is there something I can help you with?". "Yes", I said, "you can send some officers over to Chan Man Street to remove those illegally parked cars so the public can get taxis."

They cleared the area without, I believe, issuing any tickets to the offenders.

And, of course, within minutes of the police's disappearance, the area was again taken over by private vehicles. What is the point of having laws when they are not enforced?

Residents of Sai Kung now have to put up with the common racket of horns blaring and drivers who have no respect whatsoever for the rules or the local population.

The government should build a great big car park at the top of Hiram's Highway and another on the other side of Sai Kung, near Ma On Shan, and stop drivers coming into Sai Kung.

If they have no respect for the rules, regulations, or locals, they should be prevented from coming here.

Make them take public transport; give Sai Kung a park-and-ride system and stop the invasion that creates the weekend nightmare.

Andrew Maxwell, Sai Kung