Roads close for Hong Kong Cyclothon

The Transport Department has urged people to use public transport on Sunday as road closures due to the Hong Kong Cyclothon are expected to cause traffic congestion.

Sunday's Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon will cover thoroughfares including Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, West Kowloon Highway, and the Tsing Ma Bridge.

Various roads will be shut in phases from 1 am, with some expected to remain closed to traffic until around 3.30 pm. The road closure will affect 155 bus routes and 15 green minibus routes.

The 50-kilometer and 32km rides will start at Salisbury Road near the Empire Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui East, while the finishing point will be located at the Jordan Road flyover.

The 50km ride will be routed via Kowloon Park Drive, Austin Road West, Nga Cheung Road elevated road, the West Kowloon Highway, the Cheung Tsing Tunnel, the Tsing Ma Bridge and the Ting Kau Bridge. The race will turn back via the Nam Wan Tunnel, the Stonecutters Bridge, the Eagle's Nest Tunnel and the Sha Tin Heights Tunnel, then turn back again via the West Kowloon Highway and Nga Cheung Road before heading to the finishing point.

The race route of the 32km ride will be similar to the 50km ride, but will not be routed via the Tsing Ma Bridge, the Eagle's Nest Tunnel and the Sha Tin Heights Tunnel.

The department said, subject to the race arrangements and progress, the above road sections along the race routes in New Territories South and Kowloon West will be temporarily closed until around 11 am on Sunday.

The other events and races of the Cyclothon will be held on the roads in the vicinity of Tsim Sha Tsui East, including Salisbury Road, Mody Lane, Hung Hom Bypass and Hung Hom Road, which will also be temporarily closed until around 3.30 pm on the day.

Meanwhile, the department anticipates that Kowloon bound traffic on the Lantau Link, Kowloon bound traffic on Tsuen Wan Road, Kowloon Station bound traffic on Jordan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui bound traffic on Ferry Street, Jordan bound traffic on Hoi Wang Road, Lin Cheung Road, and sections of Canton Road south of Jordan Road and in the vicinity of Harbour City will be more significantly congested when compared with normal Sundays, calling on motorists to avoid driving to the affected areas.

Those heading for the West Kowloon Cultural District, the Kowloon Station for the Airport Express Line or boundary control points are advised to plan their journey early to avoid any delay caused by road closures and traffic diversions, it added.