Certain parts of “Old Taipa” will be closed to vehicular traffic once again during the National Day “Golden Week”, to become a temporary pedestrian precinct, the second time after the Chinese New Year (CNY) early this year, Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) Director Tai Kin Ip announced on Friday, adding he expected the number of visitors to the precinct to reach 200,000.
According to Tai, addressing Friday’s joint press conference at Luso International Bank Building in Nam Van about the temporary pedestrianisation of “Old Taipa “, like during the CNY on February 10-18, the junction of Rua de Fernão Mendes Pinto and Rua do Supico, the junction of Rua Correia da Silva and Rua Governador Tamagnini Barbosa, as well as the section between Calçada do Quartel and Avenida de Carlos da Maia, will once again be temporarily pedestrianised from noon to 7 p.m. on October 1-7: “During the National Day break, the foot and vehicular traffic in ‘Old Taipa’ is expected to be relatively busy. After collecting and listening to the views of Taipa residents, community and business associations, as well as analysing in-depth the situation of the implementation of the temporary pedestrian precincts during this year’s Chinese New Year, the government decided to cooperate with Taipa’s community associations once again [in carrying out the pedestrianisation project]”.
A joint statement and press conference by the Economic and Technological Development Bureau, Transport Bureau (DSAT), Public Security Police (PSP), Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) quoted Tai as saying that the temporary pedestrian precinct set up during CNY was widely appreciated by the community, underlining that the government’s inter-departmental working group has visited residents and community and business associations in Taipa to listen to the views of residents and business operators in the area, including representatives of four schools, to ensure the smooth implementation of the temporary pedestrianisation project. Concerning the fact that students are slated to go to school on October 3, 4 and 7, Tai pointed out during the press conference that students will not be affected by the pedestrianisation when they go to school in the morning, while they will be slightly affected by the measure when leaving school in the afternoon. Tai also said he believed that foot traffic at the surrounding temporary bus stops can cope with the expected demand for public transport.
The statement noted that a number of bus routes will be adjusted between 11 a.m. and the day’s last bus ride at night, when four bus stops, namely, “Chuen Yuet Garden”, “Carmo Swimming Pools”, “Rua do Cunha” and “Escola Luso-Chinesa da Taipa” will be temporarily suspended. However, temporary stops will be set up at Avenida Olímpica and the Olympic Sports Centre, as well as at Largo Governador Tamagnini Barbosa and the nearby locations of Taipa Luso-Chinese Primary School for routes 11 and 28A.
According to the press conference, while the pedestrianisation is in effect, vehicles can access Avenida Olímpica en route to the area of Rua do Regedor and Ponte Negra.
According to Tai, with the implementation of the temporary pedestrian precinct during the past Chinese New Year period, the area logged a daily average of 30,000 person-times, an average of 3,000 per hour, with a peak of 4,500 person-times at 2 p.m. Tai said he estimated the average number of people entering the pedestrian precinct to reach 200,000 during the seven-day National Day break.
This undated handout photo provided along with a joint statement by the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT), Transport Bureau (DSAT), Public Security Police (PSP), Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) and the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) shows visitors walking around the “Old Taipa” pedestrian precinct during the Chinese New Year holiday in early February this year.
