Potential toll-system sabotage probed

Police are investigating a possible sabotaging of the Western Harbour Crossing toll system that caused some 4,700 vehicles to be overcharged with old rates says, Acting Chief Executive Eric Chan Kwok-ki said.

Chan said the government is highly concerned about the overcharging incident at the Western Harbour Crossing on Monday, the first working day after Sunday's launch of the time-varying toll system.

"Preliminary investigations show that the overcharging arose out of human intervention of the system, instead of a system failure. We have already invited police to join the probe," Chan said.

"Those who are found to have intentionally sabotaged the system will be seriously penalized."

Chan said the tunnel operator has already contacted the owners of 3,700 out of 4,700 affected vehicles to make refunds, while the remaining owners have yet to pay their tolls.

Police said its Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau will proactively follow up on the case.

The overcharging incident occurred at the WHC between 10.02am and 11.04am on Monday.

One of those overcharged was New Prospect for Hong Kong lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu, who paid HK$60 instead of HK$52. Truck drivers and heavy goods vehicle drivers were charged HK$85 and HK$110 respectively instead of the new HK$50 toll.

Zhang said the incident showed that there is a problem in the management procedure, as the tunnel operator was able to change the toll schedule without notifying the Transport Department.

"The incident is really disappointing, as the three harbor crossings have just started to divert traffic," he said. "The incident has deflated people's confidence."

He continued: "The time-varying toll system is very complicated. If people lose confidence in the system, it will be hard for the policy to succeed."

Zhang also said that the refund arrangement was weird.

"I should have paid HK$52, but I was mistakenly charged HK$60. Instead of refunding HK$8 to me, they refunded HK$60 to me and requested me to pay HK$52 again," Zhang said.

"I am worried that some car owners who are unaware that they have been charged an incorrect amount will miss the new payment notice that can become overdue."

He called on drivers who passed through WHC on the affected hour on Monday to check their HKeToll record and take the necessary action.

Separately, the government announced that the HKeToll system will be implemented at the Aberdeen Tunnel starting from 5am on Christmas Eve, allowing motorists to drive through the toll plaza without stopping or queuing to pay tolls.

To tie in with the implementation of the HKeToll, temporary traffic and transport arrangements will be implemented in the vicinity of the Aberdeen Tunnel starting from 1am on Sunday.

Both directions of the Aberdeen Tunnel and its slip roads will be closed from 4am to 5am.

During the temporary closure, four overnight franchised bus routes and three overnight green minibus routes will be diverted.

michael.shum@singtaonewscorp.com