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A Times Square employee records noise levels as buskers perform in the building’s piazza, on September 29. Photo: Roy Issa 

Hong Kong suspends Times Square busking, while deafening piling works go on elsewhere: go figure

High Court judge Mr Justice Godfrey Lam Wan-ho approved last Friday the request by Times Square to suspend busking in its piazza, over concerns that performers caused nuisance and obstruction in the open space (“Judge grants temporary ban on busking at Times Square shopping centre in Hong Kong”, October 5). Handing down his ruling, the judge said evidence showed various groups of buskers had performed in the piazza between August and early October, and the noise exceeded acceptable levels.

“The noise level readings during the performances have all been above 70 decibels in the piazza,” he said, adding that readings had reached 90 decibels some four metres from the piazza.

However, some 3km away at North Point, residents have to suffer noise levels exceeding 100 decibels during the day, with the Environmental Protection Department’s blessings. The department approved percussive piling works on the reconstruction of 1A-1P Marble Road  for the first and second quarters of 2018. Prior to the piling works, demolition works exceeding 100 decibels were also recorded.

Warren Wong, Tseung Kwan O

 

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