New e-tolls to save Hong Kong drivers time at several tunnels from next month, government says
- New government-run system will eventually replace manual and privately operated automatic collection booths across the city
- Lack of monthly administration fee and streamlined traffic set-up will be a win for the public, assistant transport chief Honson Yuen says
Hong Kong drivers will save time through a new electronic toll payment system that will go into operation at several government-owned tunnels starting from next month, transport authorities have said.
Assistant Commissioner for Transport Honson Yuen Hong-shing on Friday said that the electronic tolling system would be rolled out on the Tsing Sha Highway connecting Tsing Yi and Sha Tin, in February. It will launch at the Shing Mun Tunnels running between Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin, and the Lion Rock Tunnel linking Sha Tin and Kowloon Tong, the following month.
The e-toll sensors will be installed on new structures above roads, allowing for the removal of toll booths and helping to straighten traffic lanes, which should speed up the flow of cars.
“With the free-flow tolling service, cars will not need to stop or queue to pay, allowing for smoother traffic flow,” Yuen said. “There is also no need to switch lanes to reach the toll booths, reducing the chance of accidents.”
The new system, which cost HK$945 million (US$121 million) to develop, will gradually replace the existing manual and privately run automatic collection booths at tunnels as part of the government’s plan to develop smart transport.
The new initiative will operate in direct competition with privately owned Autotoll Smart Solutions, which operates automatic tolls that the Transport Department plans to phase out. In contrast to the government’s new system, the Autotoll service charges a monthly administration fee to drivers. The government would not raise tunnel fees following the investment, Yuen pledged.
