Aberdeen Tunnel's toll jumps to $8, Central Kowloon Route debuts at $10: sources

As the government is reviewing toll charges, sources suggested that the Aberdeen Tunnel toll will increase by 60 percent, rising from HK$5 to HK$8, while a fixed toll of HK$10 is expected for the soon-to-open Central Kowloon Route.

HK$10 toll saves half hour travel time: Tien

Anticipating a fixed toll of HK$10 for private cars at Central Kowloon Route, Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun stated it is reasonable for the government to recover a portion of operational costs, noting that an annual revenue of HK$250 million is expected given a traffic volume of 25 million vehicles.

Tien also expressed confidence that divers will opt for the new route, asserting that spending HK$10 to save half an hour of travel time is worth it.

Since the current annual operating loss of approximately HK$16 million for the Aberdeen Tunnel, Tien expects that the toll adjustment will turn the situation around, generating an annual profit of HK$20 million.

However, Tien emphasized the importance of having alternative routes available, allowing drivers to continue using existing free roads.

Not unacceptable: Chan

Another lawmaker, Chan Siu-hung, mentioned that he has not yet received confirmation about the toll adjustments but considers the proposed prices "not unacceptable."

Additionally , Chan proposed a time-varying toll plan, where private cars would only be charged during peak hours to divert traffic flow.

The Central Kowloon Route, which spans 4.7 kilometers, is intended to reduce travel time between West Kowloon and Kowloon Bay from 30 minutes during peak hours to 5 minutes.