Special traffic and transport arrangements for 2025/2026 horse race meetings in Happy Valley
The Transport Department (TD) today (September 5) reminded members of the public that to facilitate the holding of horse race meetings at the Happy Valley Racecourse during the 2025/2026 Season, the following special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in phases on the race dates from next Wednesday (September 10) in the vicinity of the Happy Valley Racecourse.
Special traffic arrangements
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1. From 50 minutes prior to the start of the first race (day meetings) or from 6pm (night meetings), the section of Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Queen's Road East and the slip road leading to the Aberdeen Tunnel will be temporarily closed to all vehicular traffic (except for vehicles heading for the Aberdeen Tunnel). Meanwhile, the section of Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Village Road and the slip road leading to the Aberdeen Tunnel will be converted to one-way northbound until all the horse races end and when it is safe to reopen the roads to normal vehicular traffic.
2. From about 35 minutes before the start of the last race, the following road sections will be closed to all vehicular traffic until the closed road sections reopen:
(i) the slip road connecting Wong Nai Chung Road and the Aberdeen Tunnel;
(ii) the section of Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Queen's Road East and the slip road connecting Wong Nai Chung Road and the Aberdeen Tunnel;
(iii)the section of Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Village Road and near Parsee Cemetery;
(iv) the section of Leighton Road westbound between Wong Nai Chung Road and Canal Road East; and
(v) the section of Morrison Hill Road southbound between Leighton Road and Queen's Road East.
Public transport service arrangements
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1. In connection with the above road closure and traffic diversion arrangements, franchised bus and green minibus routes operating in the affected areas will be temporarily diverted from about 35 minutes before the start of the last race. Meanwhile, the bus stops on Leighton Road eastbound near Matheson Street, Morrison Hill Road southbound near Sports Road and at the junction of Leighton Road westbound and Wong Nai Chung Road will also be temporarily suspended;
2. The tram stop on Wong Nai Chung Road outside the Hong Kong Cemetery will be suspended from about one hour prior to the start of the last race; and
3. In connection with the horse race meeting arrangements at the Happy Valley Racecourse, the taxi stand on Sung Tak Street and on-street parking spaces on Wong Nai Chung Road southbound between Sports Road and Blue Pool Road will be temporarily suspended in the following periods:
(i) day meetings - from 11am to 7pm; and
(ii) night meetings - from 5pm to 11.59pm
The TD anticipates that the traffic in the vicinity of affected areas will be very congested during the horse race meetings. Motorists are advised to avoid driving to the affected areas as far as possible. Members of the public planning to go to the affected areas are advised to use public transport services as far as possible. The TD and the Police will closely monitor the traffic situation and implement appropriate measures whenever necessary.
For details of the special traffic and public transport arrangements, members of the public may visit the TD's website (www.td.gov.hk), mobile application "HKeMobility" or passenger notices issued by the relevant public transport operators.
Source: AI-found images
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation codenamed "Contribute" today (January 15).During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided premises under renovation in a newly built public housing estate in Sheung Shui district.A total of six suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. Thearrested suspected illegal workers comprise six men, aged 22 to 41. Furthermore, one man, aged 45, suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. An investigation into the suspected employers is ongoing, and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out.
Apart from mounting the enforcement operation, ImmD officers and a promotional vehicle have been deployed to distribute "Don't Employ Illegal Workers" leaflets and convey the message in the estate.
An ImmD spokesman said, "Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him or her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years' imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties."
The spokesman stressed that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years' imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years' imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence.
According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee's identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker's valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences.
Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers, who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) and/or forced labour victims. When any TIP and/or forced labour indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the ImmD officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP and/or forced labour elements. Identified TIP and/or forced labour victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP and/or forced labour victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
For reporting illegal employment activities, please call the dedicated hotline 3861 5000, by fax at 2824 1166, email to anti_crime@immd.gov.hk, or submit "Online Reporting of Immigration Offences" form at www.immd.gov.hk.
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Seven persons arrested during anti-illegal worker operation Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
