Last method of HK-Macau public transportation halted

The shuttle bus service between Macau and Hong Kong known as the ‘Golden Bus’ service is halted from today until further notice, the operator of the bus has announced. The decision removes the last method of public transportation between the two Special Administrative Regions.
The authorities of the three places – the two SARs and Zhuhai – have decided to further tighten the already strict immigration measures enacted on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HKZMB).
Commonly known as the Golden Bus due to the color of the company vehicles, the shuttle bus deployed its final service before the suspension at 8 p.m. last night. It is unclear when the service will resume.
Usually, the Golden Bus runs 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Last year, when a typhoon hit Macau and Hong Kong, the shuttle service was still in operation, despite public bus services being called off in Macau.
Despite the suspension of buses, private means of transportation, such as private cars with dual license plates, are still allowed to cross the bridge to Hong Kong, not considering the quarantine and other immigration requirements imposed by the Hong Kong side.
However, the vehicle border control lanes at the Macau border control area of the HKZMB will see their operation hours tightened. Before the new measures, the lanes were open 24 hours a day for vehicles. From yesterday, the lanes are only open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.
The operation hours of the Macau border control building connecting Zhuhai was also shortened starting yesterday. It now operates from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., a total of 10 hours per day. At the same time, the border control area for travelers between Macau and Hong Kong now operates between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The East Car Park on the Macau border control island of the HKZMB is also closed from today. The car park was built for Hong Kong vehicles that do not have Macau license plates.
Ferry services between the two SARs, operated separately by Sands China’s Cotai Water Jet and Shun Tak’s Turbo Jet, were suspended two months ago, following the sudden closure of Hong Kong’s ferry terminals.
Also due to the closure, Shun Tak’s Sky Shuttle, the public helicopter service between the two SARs, was halted simultaneously. AL

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