Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki today chaired an interdepartmental working group meeting to co-ordinate preparatory measures for an expected surge in cross-boundary travel during the upcoming Halloween weekend.
The meeting was attended by Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Transport & Logistics Mable Chan, and representatives from other relevant government departments.
Mr Chan noted that visitor arrivals and late-night cross-boundary trips are expected to increase significantly due to Halloween falling on a weekend, and coinciding with major local events, including the “Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival” and mega concerts.
“The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region attaches great importance to the operation of boundary control points (BCPs) and transport support, and has instructed all relevant departments to make advance deployment, and to accord priority to securing the smooth passage of public transport vehicles during peak clearance hours. Relevant departments have been instructed to effectively manage passenger and vehicular traffic as well as information dissemination, with a view to ensuring the safe and orderly operation of the port and surrounding roads, and providing a good travel experience for members of the public and visitors,” Mr Chan said.
The Government anticipates that the busiest period for northbound passenger and vehicular traffic at Huanggang Port will be from 11pm to 2am the following day, across three consecutive nights from October 30 to November 1. Heavy congestion is expected near the San Tin Highway and the port area.
Owing to road capacity and clearance constraints for cross-boundary private cars, authorities will prioritise high-capacity transport options to maximise the dispersal efficiency during peak hours. These include franchised buses, green minibuses (GMBs) and cross-boundary coaches (CBCs).
Under this arrangement, private car drivers travelling during late-night peak hours are warned to expect extended waiting times of an hour or more in holding areas and clearance channels.
Mr Chan urged travellers to plan their journeys in advance, check the operating hours of various land and rail BCPs, and avoid converging on the Huanggang Port during late-night hours.
“Travellers who need to cross the boundary during late-night hours are advised to take public transport. We also encourage visitors to adjust their itineraries to stay overnight in Hong Kong and make good use of the ‘ticket stub offers’ launched by various events to make their overall journey more comfortable and enjoyable,” he added.
The Transport and Logistics Bureau and the Transport Department (TD) are co-ordinating with public transport operators to boost manpower and fleet capacity. During peak hours, service frequencies can be increased to every two to three minutes for franchised buses, and every five minutes for GMBs and CBCs.
The TD’s Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will operate on a 24-hours basis to monitor traffic conditions at the Huanggang Port and across districts, implementing contingency measures when necessary.
Additionally, the interdepartmental Joint Command Post at the Huanggang Port will activate early in the afternoon on October 30, operating throughout the weekend to closely monitor passenger and vehicular flows in real time and maintain close contact with Shenzhen port authorities. The Security Bureau will concurrently activate the Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre to manage public order and emergency responses at the port.
The Government reiterated its concern over the illegal carriage of passengers for hire or reward, commonly known as “white licence cars” or “pak pai” services. The Police Force is actively gathering intelligence and conducting targeted operations to crack down on illegal cross-boundary private car activities.
