Northbound traffic set to increase

Charlotte Lam

The number of daily applications processed under the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles scheme has increased from 400 to 500 starting yesterday, the Transport Department announced.

Eligibility, procedures and balloting arrangements for the scheme remain unchanged. Renewals will continue to bypass the computer ballot, a department spokesman said.

Launched in June 2023, the scheme allows eligible Hong Kong private cars to travel to Guangdong Province via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge without requiring regular quotas. Applicants must register through computer balloting on the scheme's official website.

The spokesman added that the Hong Kong and Guangdong governments would closely monitor the scheme's operations and liaise with relevant departments to review and improve its arrangements when necessary.

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker Ben Chan Han-pan welcomed the new arrangement while urging the department to discuss with its mainland counterpart to double the number of immigration counters at HZMB to deal with the increasing number of vehicles.

"The increased slots will meet weekday demand, but additional measures are needed to avoid congestion at mainland ports, especially during holidays," Chan said.

He explained that drivers and passengers would undergo immigration clearance together when entering or leaving Hong Kong.

But as cars enter or leave Zhuhai, drivers and their vehicles would queue at the vehicle checkpoints, while passengers would have to get out of their cars and complete the clearance procedures separately.

"Currently, only a few counters are at the [Zhuhai] port. During holidays, this creates significant delays as cars wait for their passengers to complete clearance," Chan said, describing the issue as "cars waiting for people."

"We have already conveyed our concerns to the Transport and Logistics Bureau, hoping they will relay to mainland authorities the need to double the number of counters," he said.

Chan also expressed concerns about the upcoming "Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles" scheme, allowing Guangdong private cars to travel to Hong Kong.

He warned that once the new scheme launches, traffic at the bridge's artificial island port will likely become even busier, urging the bureau to develop a plan to address the anticipated traffic demand.