ENG-2020 — Page 253

Hong Kong Year Books 香港年報 All

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Transport

Two other tunnels are operated by private companies under build-operate-transfer arrangements: the Western Harbour Crossing and Tai Lam Tunnel. The franchises of these tunnels will expire in 2023 and 2025 respectively.

There is also a private tunnel, which 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. The first two carry both road and rail traffic. Tsing Ma Bridge, with a main span of 1,377 metres, is one of the world's longest span suspension bridges.

The HZMB includes the Main Bridge, Hong Kong Port and Hong Kong Link Road.

The Northern Connection of the 9-km long TM-CLK Link opened on 27 December. The TM-CLK Link connects Tuen Mun with the HZMB Hong Kong Port and North Lantau via a bridge and a subsea tunnel.

Tsing Ma Control Area

The Tsing Ma Control Area is a 21-km expressway network which covers mainly Tsing Kwai Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel, and the Ting Kau, Tsing Ma and Kap Shui Mun bridges. An average of 54,200 vehicles per day used the Tsing Ma and Kap Shui Mun bridges in 2020. The government waived the tolls for these two bridges in December with the full commissioning of the TM-CLK Tunnel.

Tsing Sha Control Area

The Tsing Sha Control Area is a 13-km expressway network. It consists of Stonecutters Bridge, and the Nam Wan, Eagle's Nest, Sha Tin Heights and Tai Wai tunnels. In 2020, an average of 54,600 vehicles per day used this expressway.

Road Boundary Crossings

There are five road-based boundary crossings between Hong Kong and the Mainland, opening daily for goods and passenger vehicles, at Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok, Shenzhen Bay Port and the HZMB Hong Kong Port. Cross-boundary travellers can also use the HZMB to travel to and from Macao. From February, COVID-19 resulted in suspension or reduced operating hours of passenger clearance services at these crossings. The cargo clearance facilities at the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point, the sixth road-based boundary crossing, opened on 26 August.

In 2020, the control points of Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To, Sha Tau Kok, Shenzhen Bay and HZMB Hong Kong Port respectively recorded on average 9,400, 3,100, 900, 5,000 and 800 daily vehicle trips, and 4,400, 700, 500, 10,100 and 4,500 daily passenger trips. The Liantang/Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point recorded on average 400 daily goods vehicle trips. As a result of the pandemic, the total number of cross-boundary passengers travelling by rail, road and sea decreased 92.7 per cent to 50,500 a day. Most travellers using the road-based control points

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