I REFER to the letter headlined, 'Roadworks so disruptive' (South China Morning Post, October 13), complaining about repeated excavation by utility undertakers outside 26-32 Tin Hau Temple Road, North Point. There is at present an on-the-street bus-stop opposite No 11 Tin Hau Temple Road. It has been observed that during peak periods, whenever buses stop to set down and pick up passengers, on the single traffic lane at this location, traffic to the rear is obstructed. To improve the situation, the Transport Department proposes to relocate the bus-stop up the road to outside No 26-32 Tin Hau Temple Road where the footpath is wide enough to accommodate a bus bay. Following the excavation of trial pits to locate the exact position of the installations under the footpath in March, it was observed that Hongkong Electric, the Water Supplies Department and Hongkong Telephone, needed to divert/lower their services before construction of the bus bay could commence. The required utility works were co-ordinated by this department to occupy the site in turn during the period from mid-May to mid-October. All the utility diversion works have now ended and our contractor will take over the area shortly to construct the proposed bus bay. It is anticipated that the work will take another six weeks to complete. As for illegal parking of cars nearby, the police and Transport Department have been notified and appropriate measures will be taken to deter this illegal practice. HO DU PING, LUCY Senior Engineer/Highways Complaints Highways Department
