More taxis opt for Western Harbour Crossing as new tolls come into effect

Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Lam Sai-hung, said on Wednesday that more taxis have opted for the Western Harbour Crossing after the “633” fixed toll scheme, involving three road harbor crossings, took effect today.

As the government took back ownership of the Western Harbour Crossing after midnight, the toll rate for private cars using the Western Harbour Crossing has lowered from HK$75 to HK$60, while the fee for private cars traveling through the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and the Eastern Harbour Crossing has risen to HK$30. 

Cross-harbour taxis will be charged an all-day flat-rate of HK$25 for all three harbour crossings, while tolls for other vehicle types remain unchanged.

Speaking to the press this morning, the transport minister said he had seen improved traffic flow at around 9 am during the morning rush hour at the Cross-Harbour Tunnel.

He also noted that taxis that crossed the harbor using the Western Harbour Crossing from midnight to 5 am this morning have increased by 50 percent.

Lam believed taxi drivers will be able to choose between the three crossings based on the traffic conditions with the implementation of the new toll scheme.

Meanwhile, he said the Western Harbour Crossing and the Eastern Harbour Crossing will soon adopt the use of HK-e-Toll at 5 am on August 6 and August 27 respectively, so that drivers can pay toll fees using toll tags without stopping or queuing for manual toll booths.

Traffic conditions will hugely improve after the implementation of the time-adjusted tolls at the tunnels by the end of the year to discourage drivers from using the crossings during peak hours, he added.

The time-adjusted tolls will see fees differ at different periods of the day.

During peak hours from 7.30 am to 10.15 am and from 4.30 pm to 7 pm on Monday to Saturday, private cars will be charged HK$60 at the Western Harbour Tunnel and HK$40 at the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and Eastern Harbour Tunnel. The new peak-hour toll for the Cross-Harbour Tunnel is twice its current price.

All three tunnels will charge HK$30 from 10.15 am to 4.30 pm and HK$20 during off-peak hours, between 7 pm and 7.30 am the next day.