Latest news with #TaiLamTunnel
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Traffic in Hong Kong's Tai Lam Tunnel up 10% on first day under government control
The Tai Lam Tunnel in Hong Kong's New Territories has seen a 10 per cent increase in traffic on its first day of operations after authorities took control and introduced cheaper fees. Advertisement Mable Chan, Secretary of Transport and Logistics, said on Monday that the government would also review the pricing at the Aberdeen and Shing Mun Tunnels as the electronic toll payment system across the city was completed. The government took control of Tai Lam Tunnel, which connects Yuen Long with western Tsuen Wan, in the early hours of Saturday after a 30-year franchise ended. Chan said traffic had increased by 10 per cent between midnight and 6am on Monday as she inspected the situation at the site in the morning, the first day of operations after the government's takeover of the tunnel. She also revealed that the traffic flow on June 1 increased by 40 per cent compared to previous Sundays. Advertisement Chan attributed the rise to the 'significant drop' in toll fees for private vehicles from HK$58 (US$7.40) to a fixed toll of HK$18 throughout the day on Sundays and general holidays
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
New toll system, cheaper fees in place as Hong Kong's Tai Lam Tunnel handed over
Hong Kong authorities have taken control of the Tai Lam Tunnel after a 30-year franchise ended, with an electronic toll payment system and cheaper fees implemented in the early hours of Saturday. Advertisement The Transport Department announced that the government had taken over the tunnel at midnight and conducted works to implement the HKeToll system. Authorities temporarily closed some traffic lanes in the toll plaza and roads to the 3.8km (2.4 miles) tunnel, which links Pat Heung and Ting Kau in the New Territories, in phases between 1am and 3am. The tunnel was then closed for two hours as the Highways Department changed road markings, adjusted traffic lanes, replaced signs and covered the toll booths. It reopened at 5am with the HKeToll system in operation. Advertisement It was the last franchised tunnel in the city to be taken over by the government.
South China Morning Post
6 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's Tai Lam Tunnel to close for 2 hours on Saturday for HKeToll launch
Hong Kong's Tai Lam Tunnel will be closed for two hours on Saturday when authorities install an electronic toll payment system, as the government resumes control of the major thoroughfare and introduces time-varying fees aimed at easing congestion. Patrick Ho Kwong-hang, a deputy commissioner for transport, on Wednesday praised the development. 'What does the end of the franchise of the Tai Lam Tunnel and the implementation of the HKeToll system represent? It represents that the traffic arrangements for the northwestern New Territories have entered a new era,' he said. 'It allows us to make good use of the remaining capacity of the Tai Lam Tunnel and ease the congestion of busy roads in the northwestern New Territories, which will allow the people flow, logistics flow, residents and all sectors of society travelling from the northwestern New Territories to the city to benefit.' The 3.8km-long (2.4 miles) tunnel has been run by a consortium since 1995 under a build-operate-transfer model, with the franchise for its operation expiring at the end of May. The government will take control of the tunnel on Saturday. Authorities will begin implementing road closures from 1am, with the whole tunnel closing between 3am and 5am.
