Authorities warn drivers of penalties for non-compliance in Northbound Travel Scheme

Applicants participating in the "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" Scheme may face entry denial, suspension of their eligibility for reservations, or even license revocation if they are found not to have adhered to the scheduled time slots for their travel bookings.

This came after around 400 drivers who had made reservations under the Scheme for the first day of the Easter holiday (Apr 18) were not traveling on the day.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said about 6,500 bookings out of 6,900 on April 18 traveled on that day, and over 80 percent traveled according to the reserved time slot.

She warned that violations -- such as traveling without reservations or beyond the specified time -- could result in the relevant vehicles being refused travel to Guangdong via Hong Kong and Guangdong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB).

Authorities may also suspend the drivers' eligibility to make another reservation or even revoke the relevant licenses issued to them.

Chan said that the Transport Department regularly shares booking data with the Hong Kong Port to facilitate operations, while maintaining close coordination with relevant mainland authorities to conduct random compliance checks. 

The governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong will continue to maintain close liaison to adjust and refine various arrangements of the Scheme as required promptly, she added.

(Chelsea Chan)