Arbitration could result in bigger toll rise for Tate's Cairn Tunnel
Drivers could end up paying even more to use Tate's Cairn Tunnel if the government rejects the tunnel operator's application for a toll increase, lawmakers were told yesterday.
Undersecretary for Transport and Housing Yau Shing-mu issued the warning at the Legislative Council's transport services panel.
He said the tunnel's operator might seek arbitration if a deal could not be reached with the government on a level of toll that enabled the company to receive 'reasonable but not excessive remuneration'.
The company has applied for a flat HK$1 increase for all seven categories of vehicles using the tunnel.
Yau said an arbitrator might rule in favour of a higher toll increase, as in the case of the Eastern Harbour Tunnel four years ago.
But lawmakers opposed the increase, saying they were concerned that approving the application would give rise to a chain of fare-increase applications from public transport operators.
Some panel members said the toll increase would encourage drivers to use the Lion Rock Tunnel and further aggravate congestion there.
The panel suggested the government examine other options such as buying back tunnels, extending the Tate's Cairn Tunnel operator's franchise period, or subsidising operators to offset the impact of a toll increase.
Hong Kong Kowloon Taxi & Lorry Owners' Association chairman Wong Po-keung said a dollar increase in the tunnel toll would not be too much of a hardship because members did not use the Tate's Cairn Tunnel often, and the additional cost would be passed on to customers.
At the same meeting, Deputy Commissioner for Transport Carolina Yip Lai-ching said the government would organise five 'health-check days' next month.
Each day would cater for 500 professional drivers, offering basic tests such as body mass index measurement, body fat, blood pressure, cholesterol and plasma-glucose concentration, she said.
Lawmakers said long working hours and a stressful work environment were the main risks experienced by professional drivers, and should be addressed.
Organisation of Hong Kong Drivers chairman Ip Wai-chi said free health checks for professional drivers were a good idea but they were not necessary for cross-border drivers because they were already required to meet mainland health authorities' fitness standards in order to operate.
