Letters | Scrap Hong Kong cross-harbour tunnel tolls, just make licences costlier

In 2017, there were 94.4 million vehicle harbour crossings in Hong Kong. If one assumes an average tunnel fee of HK$35 per crossing, that would generate HK$3.3 billion dollars annually. If all vehicle licences included a tunnel fee within the licence, say an additional HK$3,000 per vehicle licence, there would be no need for tolls and toll booths. This would save costs, reduce congestion and allow drivers the flexibility to choose which tunnel is best for their journey, making for the most efficient and effective tunnel use.

When Hong Kong’s transport secretary Frank Chan Fan retables the motion for adjusting the cross-harbour tunnel tolls at the Legislative Council on March 27, he should repackage his proposal to include these features.

The three re-adjusted tolls should add up to HK$115, as they currently do, to show that this is not a revenue-raising measure.