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Western tunnel to raise tolls by up to HK$12. Photo: Robert Ng

Western Harbour Crossing tolls to go up

Ada Lee

The Western Harbour Crossing will increase its tolls by amounts ranging from HK$2 to HK$12 from New Year's Day.

The announcement yesterday came days after the Tai Lam Tunnel's operator said its tolls would rise on the same day, and weeks after the Tate's Cairn Tunnel sought approval to raise its fees by 11 per cent.

Private cars will have to pay HK$55 to cross the harbour via the western tunnel, a HK$5 rise. Motorcycles will pay HK$25, HK$2 more. The biggest increase, HK$12, will be for double-deck buses, which will pay HK$140.

For the Tai Lam Tunnel, private cars, medium and heavy goods vehicles will pay HK$3 more. The toll for light goods vehicles will go up by HK$4.

The tolls for both tunnels had in fact been increased since July last year, but the actual amounts charged remained unchanged because of concession schemes.

Kenneth Pang Kam-hung, general manager of the Western Harbour Tunnel Company, said the rise was necessary for the tunnel, which cost HK$7 billion to develop. "To ensure the continuous viability of the company amid the increased operating cost situation, the company needs to adjust … its tolls," he said. Kerry Properties, controlled by the Kerry Group, controlling shareholder of this newspaper's publisher, SCMP Group, owns 15 per cent of the Western Harbour Tunnel Co, the tunnel's operator.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Western tunnel to raise tolls by up to HK$12
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