Hong Kong to limit number of cars from Guangdong, Macau entering via mega bridge

‘Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles’ scheme will adopt ‘smaller scale’ launch, transport minister Lam Sai-hung says

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The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is a 55km sea crossing connecting the three cities. Photo: Eugene Lee

Published: 12:00pm, 12 Jul 2024Updated: 5:15pm, 12 Jul 2024

Hong Kong will allow several hundred private cars from mainland China and Macau to enter the city via a mega bridge starting as early as the end of the year, with the transport minister telling the Post he wanted a ‘smaller-scale’ launch for the new border-crossing policy.

In a wide-ranging interview, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung revealed the long-awaited “Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles” scheme would have more than 1,000 automated car parking spaces located on the artificial island of the local side of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, upon the completion of the first stage of the initiative.

Lam no longer mentioned plans for 6,000 parking spaces to be made available at the facility, as he discussed in March.

“We want to start it off with a smaller scale,” he said. “If demand is good, we will map out our next step of the development. I expect it will be popular.”

The scheme has been on the drawing board for years as a key feature of the “one-hour living circle” vision for the Greater Bay Area, an emerging economic zone consisting of Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong province.

Lam said the scheme could debut at the end of this year or early 2025.

The scheme offers visitors from Macau and Guangdong the option of driving to Hong Kong, park on the artificial island, then take a coach to the city’s airport for overseas destinations or enter via the bridge checkpoint.