Authorities are moving to raise quotas for Guangdong vehicles traveling to Hong Kong as nearly 7,000 electronic permits have been issued since the implementation of the scheme, according to Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan.
Chan's remarks came as she described the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme as an important breakthrough to drive in-depth integration across the Greater Bay Area during a recent interview.
She reported that about 7,000 permits have been issued to Guangdong car owners to enter the city as of the end of April, with over 5,000 vehicle trips booked.
Notably, two-way vehicle traffic across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) has reached about 520,000 trips in April alone, averaging 17,200 per day.
Among those trips, Chan noted the vehicles from the Northbound Travel scheme accounted for around 40 percent of the mega bridge traffic. She added that the Southbound Travel scheme received bookings exceeding two to three times its quota, requiring a computer-based balloting system for the permit issuance.
According to the Customs data, Chan said about 90 percent of travelers via Guangdong vehicles stay one to two days in Hong Kong, bringing foot traffic to the city's hotels, retail outlets, exhibitions, and cultural events.
She revealed the scheme will gradually expand to other cities in Guangdong, with authorities to progressively increase the daily quota of 100 slots.
Regarding whether more checkpoints would be opened for Northbound vehicles and extended operating hours at Liantang Port, Chan said any expansion would be assessed based on implementation experience and border capacity.
"Any specific measures, including expanding checkpoints, will be studied step by step," she said, stressing that safety and control remain the top priority.
As for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link, which was included in the 15th Five-Year Plan, Chan revealed that the task force for the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Co-operation on Cross Boundary Railyway Infrastructure is moving at full speed on inspection and design work
She reaffirmed the government's commitment to seizing opportunities under the upcoming national plan, holding a "transport-led" approach to deepen cross-border connectivity across the Greater Bay Area.
