Organisers announce road closures around Sports Hub
Organisers announce road closures around Sports Hub for two showpiece events at National Stadium
Come early, take public transport, and expect security screenings.
Organisers of the 28th South-east Asia (SEA) Games opening and closing ceremonies at the National Stadium on June 5 and 16, respectively, have advised members of the public with tickets for the events to factor in about 30 minutes during non-peak hours, and around 105 minutes during peak hours, to get into the 55,000-seater arena at the Sports Hub, given the size of the crowd and the security screening, which is similar to that for National Day Parades.
At a briefing at Sport Singapore premises yesterday, Games opening and closing ceremony deputy chairman, Colonel Michael Ma, said: "The queues are going to be short if they come early, and when we identify people with access issues (like the elderly and handicapped) we will expedite the screening for them.
"Rest assured that we have worked with the police and the Sports Hub to make sure that the screening will be done as seamlessly and as quickly as possible."
There are three main security screening areas - the Kallang Overpass facing Nicoll Highway, near the OCBC Arena, and near the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The stadium gates will open at 5pm instead of 6pm to allow spectators more time to get to their seats, with both ceremonies starting at 8pm.
However, roads around the Sports Hub will be closed from 3pm to 1am on both June 5 and 16, so organisers encourage spectators to take public transport, and urge non-ticket holders to avoid the immediate area and its vicinity on those two days.
TNP GRAPHIC: NOR HISHAM
OTHER ROUTES
The Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (Singsoc) yesterday also announced road closures linked to five sports - football, equestrian, triathlon, marathon/Nila Run and cycling.
The cycling event - to be held from June 9 to 14 in the Marina South area - will be most affected, with partial or full road closures in the Shenton Way and Orchard Road areas, as well as parts of the East Coast Parkway and Marina Coastal Expressway from as early as 6am, and up to 3pm on certain race days.
Some 300 buses, decked in SEA Games colours, will ferry athletes between their hotels in the city to the competition venues, although there will not be dedicated road lanes similar to the strategy used for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) here.
Singsoc chief, community and corporate outreach, Toh Boon Yi, said: "We certainly took reference from the YOG but did not go with that option (dedicated lanes)... one of the reasons is that the athletes are housed in hotels in the city, while the YOG Games Village was at NTU (Nanyang Technological University in the west).
"The commute between their accommodations and the venues is actually not long, and we should be able to manage with the existing traffic system."
However, both Toh and a representative from the Land Transport Authority stressed that measures - such as buffering departure times and traffic monitoring - will be put in place to ensure that athletes and officials arrive at their competition venues in good time.
Motorists have been advised to give way to Games vehicles, and to check the official website and social media outlets regularly for traffic closures and updates.
Toh said that the decision to close roads was not taken lightly, and organisers have sought to strike a balance between showcasing the city and the needs of commuters.
For example, racewalking, which was supposed to be held along Orchard Road on a Saturday evening (June 6) will instead be held at East Coast Park from 4pm on the same day.
Said Toh: "That's because the number of athletes registered for the event has come down to 16, instead of 44, which was originally planned.
"We don't think it is fruitful to close Orchard Road for that event and have moved it, so we close roads only when it is absolutely necessary."
22
PHOTO: SINGSOC
22: The SEA Games will once again return to Singapore, after 22 years.
The event is especially significant to Singapore as it celebrates the nation's 50th year of independence, and Shelton College International's (above) 22nd year of establishment.
The school is proud to say that over the last 22 years, thousands of Sheltonians have passed through its doors and achieved success in their individual ways, and many of whom come from the South-east Asian countries.
TNP FILE PHOTO
22: It has been 22 years since Singapore last hosted the SEA Games in 1993. That year, the Republic recorded its best gold-medal haul of 50 golds.
Outside of the pool, where Singapore's swimmers and water polo team raked in 13 gold medals, wushu was the next biggest contributors with seven gold medals.
Among the winners was Vincent Ng (above), who claimed the men's changquan event. Ng went on to be a popular TV actor on Channel 8. - DAVID LEE.
FOOTBALL
Where: Jalan Besar Stadium and Bishan Stadium
When: May 28 to June 14
OPENING/CLOSING CEREMONIES
Where: National Stadium
When: June 5 (opening), June 16 (closing)
EQUESTRIAN
Where: Singapore Turf Club Riding Centre
When: June 6 to 10
TRIATHLON
Where: East Coast Park
When: June 6 and 7
MARATHON/NILA RUN
Where: Kallang, East Coast Park, Marina Bay
When: June 7
CYCLING
Where: Marina South
When: June 9 to 14
- Detailed information on all road closures are listed on www.seagames2015.com.
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