TRANSPORT
Cross-Boundary Traffic
Rail Service to Lo Wu
Cross-boundary traffic has increased significantly over the years, in line with the growth in economic and social activities between Hong Kong and the Mainland. Lo Wu is currently the only rail crossing to the Mainland. The boundary crossing operated nearly at full capacity, handling 195 000 passengers every weekday in 1999. The volume of passengers at Lo Wu exceeded 247 000 during festive seasons and at weekends. Since mid-October 1998, the opening of the Lo Wu crossing has been extended by one hour, to 6.30 am — 11.30 pm instead of 7 am — 11 pm. Improvement has been made to further increase the capacity of the boundary crossing, including construction of additional immigration counters and a pair of escalators linking the departure and arrival halls to allow for the introduction of tidal-flow operation when necessary.
Road Crossings
Lok Ma Chau, Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To are the three road crossing points between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The Lok Ma Chau crossing has been open to goods vehicles on a 24-hour basis since November 1994. It opens for passenger traffic at 7 am. Its closing time was extended by one hour from 9 pm to 10 pm in October 1998. The Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To crossings open daily to both goods vehicles and passenger traffic from 7 am to 8 pm and from 7 am to 10 pm. respectively.
The three road crossings handled 28 288 cross-boundary vehicles per day in 1999, representing an increase of 5.7 per cent during the year. Goods vehicles accounted for 86 per cent of the traffic. The average daily vehicular traffic in 1999 was 2 361 at Sha Tau Kok; 7 795 at Man Kam To and 18 132 at Lok Ma Chau respectively. Since October 1998, during the closure hours of the Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To crossings, goods vehicles assigned to use these crossings are allowed to use Lok Ma Chau crossing.
In 1999, the average daily passenger flow at Lok Ma Chau crossing was 25 154, while the flows at the Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok crossings were maintained at 2 598 and 3 222 respectively. In 1999, 60 companies operated 363 coach services across the boundary.
The shuttle bus service introduced in March 1997 between the Lok Ma Chau Public Transport Interchange and Huanggang in Shenzhen was well patronised and carried 11 150 passengers daily in 1999. Operating hours have been extended from 7.30 am 8.30 pm to 7.30 am 9.30 pm since mid-October 1998.
Improvement works to the Lok Ma Chau crossing are under way. Ten extra pairs of immigration/customs kiosks for processing vehicles were completed in 1999. Additional coach lay-bys and extension of the Control Point Building will be completed in 2003.
The volume of cross-boundary traffic to the Mainland is growing. To cater for the anticipated further growth, discussions are being held with the Mainland authorities on the possibility of opening up new road and rail crossings. Besides the Lok Ma Chau/Huanggang railway passenger crossing which will be completed by 2004, projects under study include the Hong Kong/Shenzhen Western Corridor.
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