ENG-2007 — Page 300

248 Transport

Shenzhen. Moreover, the second rail passenger crossing at Lok Ma Chau/Futian and the extension of the East Rail Line to Lok Ma Chau opened on August 15.

Rail Services to Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau

Lo Wu, one of the two rail boundary crossings into the Mainland, operates between 6.30 am and midnight every day. It handled an average of 260 000 passengers daily during the year, and more than 389 000 on festive days.

The extension of the East Rail Link to Lok Ma Chau, the second rail boundary crossing into the Mainland, commenced operation on August 15, and operates between 6.30 am and 10.30 pm every day. Passengers can reach this crossing either by rail or local public transport. In 2007, the crossing at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line handled an average of about 35 300 passengers daily, and more than 50 100 on festive days (including rail and local public transports).

Road Crossings

There are four road crossings between Hong Kong and the Mainland: Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and Shenzhen Bay. The Lok Ma Chau crossing operates round the clock for goods and passenger vehicle traffic. The Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok crossings are opened daily to goods and passenger vehicle traffic from 7 am to 10 pm and from 7 am to 8 pm respectively. The Shenzhen Bay Port commenced operation on July 1 and is opened daily to goods and passenger vehicle traffic from 6.30 am to midnight.

The daily average number of vehicle trips recorded at Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and Shenzhen Bay crossings during the year were 31 000, 6 900, 2 300 and 3 200 respectively.

The daily average numbers of cross-boundary travellers who used the Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok and Shenzhen Bay crossings were 131 700, 7 200, 7 600 and 23 700 respectively. These travellers crossed the boundary mainly by taking cross-boundary coaches, while travellers crossing the boundary via the Lok Ma Chau and Shenzhen Bay crossings may also choose to take the shuttle buses that ply between Huanggang in Shenzhen and the Public Transport Interchange at San Tin, and the local public transport services to the Public Transport Interchange at the Hong Kong Port Area of the Shenzhen Bay Port respectively. In 2007, about 90 400 passengers took the cross-boundary coaches provided by some 100 companies, while 46 800 and 13 900 passengers took the shuttle buses at Lok Ma Chau and the local public transports to the Shenzhen Bay Port each day respectively.

A trial scheme for taxis and green minibuses to operate at the Lok Ma Chau Control Point between midnight and 6.30 am was introduced in March 2003. During those hours, northbound passengers may take taxis and green minibuses to the control point directly and then cross the boundary by shuttle buses, while southbound passengers may board taxis and green minibuses at the control point after immigration clearance. The starting time of the trial scheme was advanced from midnight to 11 pm in January 2005.

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