Protesters slam plan to demolish TST terminus
3 August 2009
South China Morning Post

Two activist groups staged a protest yesterday over the government's plan to demolish the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry bus terminus and turn the space into a piazza, with bus stops for more than 10 routes having to be relocated.

The groups, Our Bus Terminal and the Public Transportation Concern Alliance, said the government was threatening the public interest and not holding enough consultation on the issue.

About 40 protesters gathered at the Mody Road bus terminus, the new location for routes affected by the plan, and walked to the Star Ferry bus terminus.

They then took a ferry and went to the government headquarters in Central, where they handed in petitions with 6,000 signatures showing public discontent over the plan.

Protest organisers said the plan would affect people's lives and ignored the conservation value of the Unesco-listed terminus. They also questioned the value of the proposed piazza to tourists, saying there was no justification for demolishing the current terminus.

Leslie Chan Ka-long, chairman of Our Bus Terminal, said: The new terminusis 15 minutes away from the Star Ferry Pier.

While Secretary for Transport and Housing Eva Cheng said it was a good choice to walk to the pier, we would like to invite her to walk these 700 metres with us and the other affected passengers when the temperature is 33 degree Celsius.

By Tanna Chong

(上次更新: 2009-08-03)