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Jeffie Lam

Gary Cheung

Professional drivers warned yesterday that they would send trucks to remove barricades set up by protesters and surround rally sites with taxis if the blockades were not cleared soon.
A coalition of truck drivers set October 15 as the deadline for the protesters to remove the barricades set up on main roads in Admiralty, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay.
"We can send trucks to clear the barricades," said Stanley Chiang Chi-wai, chairman of the Lok Ma Chau China-Hong Kong Freight Association.

The coalition representatives said the blocked roads were affecting the livelihoods of truck drivers, who were forced to pay extra for tolls and fuel to use the Western Harbour Tunnel instead of Cross-Harbour Tunnel to avoid traffic jams.
More than 30 taxi drivers who staged a slow-drive protest in Admiralty yesterday complained of the government's failure to reopen blocked roads, saying many of them had lost 30 to 50 per cent of their income and spent more time on journeys. A 10-minute drive from the Hopewell Centre in Wan Chai to Robinson Road now took an hour on average.
They warned of summoning more drivers to besiege protest sites if the police failed to clear the barricades. Some sections of blocked roads are not occupied by protesters and many of the barricades are not guarded.
Low Shih-cheng, deputy director of the Motor Transport Workers General Union Taxi Driver Branch, said: "If in the near future the roads cannot be reopened, we will surround the protest sites. We will just compete with them in creating more congestion."
Chief Superintendent Hui Chun-tak, of the police public relations branch, said negotiations with protesters would continue and police would not rule out the possibility of "taking appropriate action" when necessary.
Chan Kin-man, a co-founder of Occupy Central, said they had earlier discussed with the Federation of Students the possibility of lifting the barricades in Queensway to ease traffic congestion.
"But students disagreed with the idea because the government has yet to give any goodwill," he said. "It will only be possible after progress is made in the dialogue between students and the government."
Yvonne Leung Lai-kwok, of the Federation of Students, apologised for the inconvenience caused to the public.
"We have tried to explore the opportunities in reopening Queensway with the protesters there but many of them hope to keep it as a bargaining chip," she said.
In Mong Kok, protester and Form Five student Cathy Tang, said yesterday that nobody had the authority to remove the barricades as they were set up by Hongkongers.
In Admiralty, Josephine Yan, 40, said she would agree to remove the barricades only if the government responded to their demands. "It really depends on the conditions. Now the government has not reopened the Civic Square for us too … I think now it is really about the exchangeable conditions," she said.
In Causeway Bay, Wong Ka-fai, 21, vice-chairman of Chinese University's student union, said the removal decision would depend on government response to their demands.
 
 


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Occupy Central

We'll remove Occupy barricades, warn professional drivers

Professional drivers are threatening to have the barricades removed. Photo: David Wong

A man walks down an empty tram line in Admiralty yesterday. Professional drivers are threatening to have the barricades removed. Photo: David Wong

News

Hong Kong

Rally sites could also be surrounded by taxi protest if blocked roads are not opened soon


Professional drivers warned yesterday that they would send trucks to remove barricades set up by protesters and surround rally sites with taxis if the blockades were not cleared soon.


We'll remove Occupy barricades, warn professional drivers

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Rally sites could also be surrounded by taxi protest if blocked roads are not opened soon

Rally sites could also be surrounded by taxi protest if blocked roads are not opened soon