Parts of Hong Kong Island were heavily congested on Monday afternoon as the final day of the Lunar New Year flower market at Victoria Park drew shopping crowds, leaving commuters stranded and bringing public transport to a standstill.

A row of trams bound for Hong Kong Island East was seen sitting bumper-to-bumper on Yee Wo Street in Causeway Bay at about 5.30pm, turning even short journeys into tests of endurance for passengers.

A South China Morning Post reporter spent 30 minutes on a tram travelling just one stop before disembarking at Victoria Park.

Attempts to continue to North Point on foot proved futile due to dense crowds in the streets, with police advising the reporter to switch to the MTR as buses were also caught in the gridlock.

The Transport Department announced at 6.22pm that several key road sections remained heavily congested, including Wan Chai-bound Causeway Road, North Point-bound Yee Wo Street and Hennessy Road, as well as Canal Road Flyover-bound Gloucester Road.