Tolls set to rise by up to HK$10 at 2 Hong Kong cross-harbour tunnels from August 2, charge for Western link to be cut by HK$15

Hong Kong motorists and taxi drivers will have to pay up to HK$10 (US$1.27) more to use two busy harbour tunnels from August 2, while the most expensive link will have tolls cut by HK$15 under the government’s third attempt in four years to ease congestion.

Announcing the proposals on Wednesday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung said the adjustments would be made when the government took back the privately operated Western Harbour Tunnel, the most expensive of the three links and the one with the least traffic.

“The Western Harbour Tunnel franchise agreement will expire on August 1 this year,” Lam noted. “The government will take back the tunnel. Through this opportunity, we hope to readjust tolls for the three cross-harbour tunnels to ease congestion.”

Lam added authorities would adopt a two-step plan to ease cross-harbour congestion, under which they would first adjust tunnel tolls for private cars and taxis to maintain current traffic flows and reduce pressure on the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, the busiest crossing, and the Eastern Harbour Tunnel.

The second step would be to implement tolls based on different timings, in which authorities will charge private cars and motorcycles fees according to three time slots during the day from Monday to Saturday. The plan is expected to come into effect no later than the end of the year.

But the transport sector expressed scepticism about how effective the toll changes would be in relieving congestion at the busiest crossing. They said charges for all three tunnels should be the same.