In line with Traffic New Territories South’s (T NTS) Formation Action Plan on promoting cycling safety, the Road Safety Team of T NTS and the Road Safety Council held a Safe Cycling Publicity Campaign under the Wise Ride Safe Cycling Carnival 2018 at the Outdoor Cycling Velodrome in Whitehead, Ma On Shan on April 28 to provide cyclists with knowledge and skills of safe cycling.
The carnival was officiated by the Senior Superintendent of T NTS, Mr Michael Armstrong; the Superintendent of the Investigation and Support Division of T NTS, Mr Michael Yip Siu-ming; Hong Kong cyclist Ms Sarah Lee Wai-Sze, BBS MH, and the registered Level 3 coach of the Cycling Association of Hong Kong, China Limited, Ms Joyce Lai Oi-yan.
The carnival offered a rich diversity of activities including keirin event’s demonstration performance by the silver medallist in the London Olympic Games, Hong Kong cyclist Ms Sarah Lee Wai-Sze, and representatives of the Hong Kong Cycling Team and the cycling sprint race team (Category Junior). The atmosphere was fun and lively and it was certainly an eye-opener for the students and audience. Furthermore, Ms Sarah Lee Wai-Sze and Ms Joyce Lai Oi-yan shared their experience on cycling safety. There were also cycling-related booths in the carnival, including uniforms and equipment of the Hong Kong Cycling Team, equipment of police motorcycles and bicycles, Wattbike cycling machine for endurance testing, a cycling safety competition and a cycling safety briefing. With sponsorship by ‘PocariSweat’, sports drinks and gift bags were given out at the carnival. This event was reported by the Hong Kong Sports News Platform ‘Sportsroad’ and posted out on the Police Force’s social media. This worthwhile and informative event allowed participants to expand their knowledge about cycling safety equipment.
The Road Safety Team of T NTS, in partnership with Shatin Junior Police Call and Senior Police Call, the Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol and the Auxiliary Medical Service, distributed leaflets to cyclists at the junction of Kiu Ha Road and Shui Chong Street in Shatin earlier on promote safe cycling and the ten-day safe cycling enforcement operation over the Easter holidays. The Acting Chief Inspector of the Investigation and Support Division of T NTS, Mr Cheng Ka-chun, explained this safe cycling enforcement operation during a press conference. Mr. Cheng reported the trend of traffic accidents involving bicycles over the recent years and stressed that Cycling Safety is one of the Police’s Selected Traffic Enforcement Priorities. He stated that the operation targeted those serious cycling offences, including failing to comply with traffic lights or traffic signals, riding without the necessary lights at night, reckless or careless cycling, etc. Meanwhile, he appealed to drivers to maintain a sufficient safe distance from cyclists when passing them. The New Territories South Region aims to remind cyclists to pay attention to road safety and obey road traffic regulations through these cycling enforcement operations.