Proposal limits vehicle use of HK-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge

The under-construction Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge

A proposal to limit the number and kinds of vehicles allowed to use the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai Bridge has been made by Hong Kong’s Transport and Housing Bureau.
In a submission to Hong Kong’s Legco, the Transport and Housing Bureau proposed that only some vehicles be allowed to use the bridge, suggesting that the main users of the infrastructure should be large passenger buses that have licenses to operate in Hong Kong and Macau or Hong Kong and Guangdong. The bus operator, which will be chosen in the second quarter of this year at the earliest, will make a proposed 300 trips per day during the first three years.
Discussion is still continuing among the three regions in regards to the use of private cars on the bridge. Hong Kong’s Transport and Housing Bureau has therefore said that there was no timeframe for a discussion to enable private vehicles with Guangdong license plates to use the bridge.
The proposal addresses the concerns of the Hong Kong and Macau governments and the public, who do not want a large influx of vehicles from Guangdong crowding their already-congested streets.
In addition, the department proposed that 13,000 Hong Kong and 800 mainland cargo vehicles with permits for both places should be allowed to use the bridge to facilitate the development of the transport and logistics sectors.
However, experts believe that the bridge will be under-utilized, as it will only carry an estimated 9,200 vehicles in the first year; meaning that it may take decades to repay the substantial investment in construction costs.
The Finance Committee of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council approved an extra fund of HKD5.4 billion on January 30, in addition to the original budget of HKD30.4 billion for the infrastructure project.
Construction of the bridge will not be completed until the end of next year. So far seven workers have died and 129 have been injured during the construction, according to a report published in the Hong Kong Economic Journal. Staff reporter