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Sha Tau Kok Pier kicks off gradual reopening of the frontier closed area
The opening of the Sha Tau Kok Pier on Friday kicked off the gradual reopening of the frontier closed area since the 1950s, with Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor sayig it marked the first step of the Northern Metropolis Development.
The Sha Tau Kok Pier, 280 meters in length, is the city's longest pier. It is located at the easternmost land border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
It will open on weekends and public holidays with two available sessions a day to each host three local tours of 30 people at most.
Only the pier will open to the public in the first stage of the reopening while the parking lot outside the pier will turn into a small market where neighbors sell specialty snacks and handicrafts. On weekdays the parking lot will be used by residents only.
Citizens can also board a ferry traveling to other surrounding islands including Ap Chau, Crooked Island and Lai Chi Wo. The rides are expected to be shortened by 15 to 20 minutes.
The partial opening of the Sha Tau Kok restricted area will run for six months and authorities will collect reviews from the public during the period.
An in-depth assessment on traffic, livelihood and security will then be conducted to decide on further details of the next stage of reopening.
The Security Bureau added they don't have plans to open Chung Ying Street to the public so far.
Speaking at the ceremony this morning, Lam expressed gave Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung and his team a huge round of applause for their hard work so that the pier can open within a year after the proposal has been tabled.
Lam said she expected the project to create a multiple-win situation that would enable the development of Sha Tau Kok-centric tourism with the passing on of culture and nature conservation at its core, injecting impetus into the community.
In addition, the project is also expected to provide the public with the opportunity to experience personally the real facets of Sha Tau Kok and appreciate the cultural features and natural landscape of the North East New Territories more comprehensively.
It will open on weekends and public holidays with two available sessions a day to each host three local tours of 30 people at most.
Only the pier will open to the public in the first stage of the reopening while the parking lot outside the pier will turn into a small market where neighbors sell specialty snacks and handicrafts. On weekdays the parking lot will be used by residents only.
Citizens can also board a ferry traveling to other surrounding islands including Ap Chau, Crooked Island and Lai Chi Wo. The rides are expected to be shortened by 15 to 20 minutes.
The partial opening of the Sha Tau Kok restricted area will run for six months and authorities will collect reviews from the public during the period.
An in-depth assessment on traffic, livelihood and security will then be conducted to decide on further details of the next stage of reopening.
The Security Bureau added they don't have plans to open Chung Ying Street to the public so far.
Speaking at the ceremony this morning, Lam expressed gave Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung and his team a huge round of applause for their hard work so that the pier can open within a year after the proposal has been tabled.
Lam said she expected the project to create a multiple-win situation that would enable the development of Sha Tau Kok-centric tourism with the passing on of culture and nature conservation at its core, injecting impetus into the community.
In addition, the project is also expected to provide the public with the opportunity to experience personally the real facets of Sha Tau Kok and appreciate the cultural features and natural landscape of the North East New Territories more comprehensively.
