12th NGD and 9th NSOG torch relay to be held on November 29
To welcome the official opening of the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities (NGD) and the 9th National Special Olympic Games (NSOG) on December 8, the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG torch relay will be staged simultaneously in Hong Kong, Macao, Guangzhou and Shenzhen on November 29 (Saturday). There will be a total of 200 torchbearers, with 50 torchbearers from each of the four cities. Shenzhen will hold a torch relay launching ceremony at 9am that day, followed by starting ceremonies in Hong Kong, Macao and Guangzhou at 9.30am, where the torch relay will start simultaneously. Representatives of the four cities will return the flame to Guangzhou after the torch relay. A flame-gathering ceremony will be held around 5pm in the Guangdong Olympic Sports Center, bridging the torch relay at the venue and the lighting of the main torch at the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG.
The torch relay in Hong Kong will start at 9.30am on November 29. The total route length is approximately 9 kilometres, divided into five segments, with the running distance accounting for about 3.4km. Starting from the Central Government Offices in Tamar, the Hong Kong route passes through the Central and Western District Promenade (Central Section), the Wan Chai Temporary Promenade, the Monument in Commemoration of Return of Hong Kong to China, and Golden Bauhinia Square. For the second section, torchbearers will cross Victoria Harbour by Star Ferry and take part along the Tsim Sha Tsui route. They will start from Star Ferry Bus Terminus in Tsim Sha Tsui on Salisbury Road to Mody Lane, passing by the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Torchbearers of the fourth section will take an open-top bus to the bus terminal at the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP). After entering the KTSP, the torchbearers of the fifth section will pass by the bronze statue at the main entrance of the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground. Passing the torches along the running track, the last torchbearer will then light the cauldron, and the closing ceremony will take place.
Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao competition regions held a press conference on the torch relay and volunteer services for the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG in Guangzhou today (November 24). The Head of the National Games Coordination Office (Hong Kong) (NGCO), Mr Yeung Tak-keung, said the torchbearers are comprised of people from various sectors, including sports, sponsors, volunteers, the youth, persons with disabilities and ethnic minorities, as well as athletes with different disabilities from the sports sector, fully demonstrating Hong Kong as a diverse, open and inclusive city. He also commended volunteers for providing essential support in various positions during the game period and extended his gratitude to every volunteer for their selfless contributions and dedicated service, in particular to the participation of volunteers with disabilities, which will foster a more diverse and wonderful NGD and NSOG.
To facilitate the holding of the torch relay this time, special traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented by the Police and the Transport Department during the event.
Road traffic control measures
During the torch relay, road closures and special traffic arrangements will be implemented in the areas of Wan Chai North, the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, and around the Kai Tak Sports Park. All affected roads will be reopened in due course after the torch relay has passed through. The affected areas include:
(1) Wan Chai North
- Section of Expo Drive East outside Golden Bauhinia Square will be closed from 8am.
- Expo Drive, the slip road leading from Central - Wan Chai Bypass Tunnel eastbound to Expo Drive, and Expo Drive East will be closed from 9am.
- Roads near Lung Wo Road and Hung Hing Road will be intermittently closed.
(2) Area around Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront
- Salisbury Road, Canton Road, Kowloon Park Drive, Hankow Road, Nathan Road, Middle Road, Chatham Road South, Hong Wan Path, Mody Lane, Hung Hom Bypass, etc, will be closed from 8.30am.
- Hong Chong Road, Chatham Road North, and the East Kowloon Corridor will be intermittently closed.
(3) Area around Kai Tak Sports Park
- The pick-up/drop-off area next to the Kai Tak Youth Sports Ground on Sung Wong Toi Road will be closed from 8am.
- East Kowloon Corridor, Kowloon City Road, and Sung Wong Toi Road will be intermittently closed.
Moreover, road sections of the Central and Western District Promenade (Central Section), Golden Bauhinia Square and Wan Chai Temporary Promenade will be temporarily closed during the event.
Restricted flying zone
The Police will set up a temporary restricted flying zone (RFZ), extending 2km outwards from the route of the torch relay from 8.30am to noon on November 29. No small unmanned aircraft, except those authorised, will be permitted to enter the zone. Details of the temporary RFZ will be shown on the electronic portal for small unmanned aircraft "eSUA".
Public transport arrangements
To facilitate the temporary road closures and traffic control measures to be implemented by the Police at Wan Chai North and Tsim Sha Tsui on the morning of the Hong Kong leg of the 12th NGD and the 9th NSOG torch relay, 58 franchised bus routes and five green minibus (GMB) routes operating in the affected road sections in the vicinity of Expo Drive East in Wan Chai, Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier Bus Terminus, Nathan Road and Salisbury Road will adjust their services starting from the first departure on that day. Among them, KMB route No. 8P (Laguna Verde - Tsim Sha Tsui (Circular)) will be suspended. The remaining affected bus and GMB routes will require temporary diversion or suspension/relocation of relevant stops within the affected areas. Normal operations will resume gradually after roads reopen. Relevant public transport operators will issue notices to inform affected passengers of the service adjustment details.
According to the route of the torch relay, the torch will be passed to the Kai Tak Sports Park via ferry and an open-top bus, with temporary control measures along the route. Subject to the actual situation, there may be temporary service adjustment from around 9.30am to 10.45am in the Wan Chai - Tsim Sha Tsui ferry route. In addition, the overall traffic at Wan Chai North, West Kowloon and East Kowloon will be busier. The Transport Department urges members of the public and visitors travelling to the affected areas to plan their trips in advance and allow sufficient time for their journeys. They are advised to use railway services as far as possible and avoid driving to the affected road sections.
12th NGD and 9th NSOG torch relay to be held on November 29 Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
