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Transport
and Nam Wan tunnels is free of charge. Tolls for the rest are provided for in their governing legislation.
Three other tunnels are operated by private companies under BOT arrangements: the Tate's Cairn Tunnel, Western Harbour Crossing and Tai Lam Tunnel. The BOT franchise of the Tate's Cairn Tunnel will expire in 2018, whereupon the tunnel will come under the government's ownership. The government has started preparations for the takeover of the tunnel. The BOT franchises of the Western Harbour Crossing and Tai Lam Tunnel will expire in 2023 and 2025 respectively.
There is also a private tunnel, the Discovery Bay Tunnel Link, which was built and is operated and maintained by Discovery Bay Road Tunnel. It is open only to vehicles taking goods or providing services to Discovery Bay.
Bridges
The five major cable-supported bridges are Tsing Ma, Kap Shui Mun, Ting Kau, Stonecutters and a section of Shenzhen Bay Bridge. Only the first two levy toll charges. Tsing Ma Bridge is one of the world's longest span suspension bridges. Tsing Ma Bridge and Kap Shui Mun Bridge carry both road and rail traffic.
Tsing Ma Control Area
The Tsing Ma Control Area, managed by a private contractor, is a 21km expressway network comprising mainly Tsing Kwai Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, Ting Kau Bridge, Tsing Ma Bridge and Kap Shui Mun Bridge. An average of 87,800 vehicles per day used Tsing Ma Bridge and Kap Shui Mun Bridge in 2016.
Tsing Sha Control Area
The Tsing Sha Control Area, managed by a private contractor, is a 13km expressway network consisting of mainly Stonecutters Bridge, Nam Wan Tunnel, Eagle's Nest Tunnel, Sha Tin Heights Tunnel and Tai Wai Tunnel. In 2016, an average of 54,300 vehicles per day used this expressway.
Road Boundary Crossings
There are four road-based boundary crossings between Hong Kong and the Mainland, at Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and Shenzhen Bay Port, which are open daily for goods and passenger vehicles. The Lok Ma Chau Control Point, which connects to Huanggang Port in Shenzhen, operates round the clock. The Sha Tau Kok and Man Kam To control points are open from 7am to 10pm, while the one at Shenzhen Bay Port is open from 6.30am to midnight.
In 2016, the daily average numbers of vehicle trips recorded at the control points of Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and Shenzhen Bay Port were 23,700, 4,900, 2,200 and 11,500 respectively, and the daily average numbers of travellers using these control points were 74,400, 10,900, 8,200 and 105,200 respectively. The total cross-boundary vehicular traffic increased about 2 per cent compared with the previous year, averaging 42,300 vehicles a day, while the total cross-boundary passenger traffic by rail, road and ferry decreased about 1.2 per cent, reaching 678,000 passengers a day. Most travellers using these control points take cross-
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