Return to work today will take longer, city commuters warned

Hong Kong commuters have been warned to set off for work early today after the two-day holiday break, as public transport services still face disruption due to the Occupy protests.

Between Friday last week and yesterday, 270 bus routes had been diverted or suspended due to the protests, which accounted for 47 per cent of all bus services in the city, according to assistant commissioner for transport Albert Su Yau-on.

Su said an estimated 1.2 million passenger trips were affected over the period.

The suspension of classes at schools in Central, Western and Wan Chai continues today, the Education Bureau said.

Declining to comment on when classes would resume, principal assistant secretary for education Sophia Wong Suk-wah said: "Students' safety is always our top priority."

Public transport services have been disrupted since the protests began last Friday at the government headquarters in Admiralty before spilling over to Central, Causeway Bay, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok. Protesters want a more democratic city and the removal of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying.