Action ready: Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing and Equestrian Company Chief Executive Officer Lam Woon-kwong brief reporters on the arrangements for the Paralympic equestrian events.

Hong Kong is ready to kick off the Paralympic equestrian events, Secretary for Home Affairs Tsang Tak-sing says, urging the public to support the games which run from September 7 to 11 in Sha Tin.

Speaking at a press conference today, Mr Tsang said adjustments have been made to the competition venues and the athletes' village to meet the special needs required.

Equestrian Company Chief Executive Officer WK Lam said 73 athletes and 71 horses will compete, while 600 volunteers will help run the events.

Tickets

There will be nine competition sessions with 2,600 tickets for sale for each session, while 2,400 have been reserved for educational purposes. About 60% of the tickets available for sale have been sold and 80% of the educational tickets have been distributed to schools.

"Spectators should arrive two hours before the events because there will be security checks," Mr Lam said, adding the house rules will be similar to the Olympic equestrian events. "No demonstration or business, political, religious or racial propaganda will be permitted inside the venues."

As competition may be delayed or postponed due to inclement weather or other reasons, spectators should visit the company's website or call 2107 9955 to check the latest situation before they leave for the events.

Transport

Assistant Commissioner for Transport (New Territories) Cindy Law said free shuttle bus services will carry spectators between MTR University Station and Yuen Wo Road outside the venue. They will run two hours before the event until 90 minutes after it ends at five to 10-minute intervals.

Mass Transit Railway services will be adjusted to facilitate people attending the events. The East Rail service will start 2.5 hours before the morning session and end 90 minutes after the end of the evening sessions. The Tsuen Wan and Kwun Tong Lines will start three hours before the morning session and end two hours after the end of the evening sessions.

Through the Society for Rehabilitation, the Equestrian Company will arrange 18 rehabuses to transport disabled spectators. Wheelchair-bound spectators can book in advance.

Special traffic arrangements will be implemented in Sha Tin during the events. The Transport Department's Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will closely monitor the situation.

Security

Police Public Relations Branch Chief Superintendent David Ng said security measures for the games will be similar to those of the Olympic equestrian events.

Up to 2,200 Police will be deployed daily. Although the overall police deployment for the Paralympic events will be scaled down, officers will maintain a high degree of vigilance.

Noting there is no evidence suggesting Hong Kong will be a terrorist target during the events, Mr Ng said the threat remains moderate.