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The Cross-Harbour Tunnel is one of two crossings that will see toll increases under the proposal. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Hong Kong transport minister makes final call to lawmakers to support cross-harbour tunnel toll increases

  • Frank Chan not giving up hope that legislators might give the proposal the go-ahead, despite two key allies of the government saying they will oppose it
  • He revealed Chief Executive Carrie Lam went to Beijing to cut a deal with the Western Harbour Tunnel’s operators

The transport minister made a last-ditch call on Saturday for lawmakers to support the proposed toll increases at three cross-harbour tunnels to ease congestion, revealing that Hong Kong’s leader even travelled to Beijing to bargain with a tunnel firm’s top management.

Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan Fan said he was not giving up hope that legislators would give the green light to the proposal on Wednesday when the government is due to table a non-binding motion at the Legislative Council.

“It is very difficult and that’s why we are still working hard,” Chan said. “Let’s think about it. As Hongkongers, if we could secure a smoother, greener, time-saving trip, why don’t we go ahead with it?”

Speaking on radio on Saturday morning, Chan appealed for support for the plan to raise the toll for two of the three cross-harbour tunnels and lower the fees for the privately run Western Harbour Tunnel.
Secretary for Transport and Housing Frank Chan speaking on Commercial Radio on Saturday morning. Photo: Edmond So

Private cars would pay HK$40 (US$5.10) for the Cross-Harbour Tunnel and Eastern Harbour Tunnel – up from HK$20 and HK$25 respectively. Using the western route would cost HK$50, HK$20 less than the current charge.

The initiative was unveiled in October’s policy speech by Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, with the aim of rebalancing traffic.

Who was the first driver to use the Cross Harbour Tunnel?

Chan said the current proposal had not been easy to come by, with Lam going to Beijing and negotiating with the top officials of the western tunnel’s operator. He said Lam won their assent in the lengthy negotiation by persuading them to fulfil social responsibilities.

Lam, who was officiating at the opening of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass on Saturday morning, was also calling for lawmakers’ support.

“The opening of the bypass provides us with an opportunity to make the three-tunnel diversion happen,” she said.

Responding to lawmakers’ calls to make adjustments, Chan stood firm, saying that the proposal was the most effective one to ease congestion and any toll adjustment would only make the problem worse.

He also stated that the proposal went hand in hand with waiving tolls charged on franchised buses, meaning passengers may see a bus fare increase when the tunnel operator is free to raise tolls without the proposed agreement.

Government may shelve tunnel toll increases after allies desert

The new tolls, if endorsed by the legislature, would take effect from January 1, 2020.

However, two of the government’s major allies, the Federation of Trade Unions and Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), which hold 18 seats in the 69-strong Legco between them, have already indicated they would not support the proposal.

The DAB’s Chan Han-pan is set to table an amendment to the government motion, urging it to put forth a new proposal which dispenses with the substantial increase in the tolls of the Cross-Harbour and Eastern Harbour Tunnel and ensures a reduction in cross-harbour franchised bus fares.

The Western Harbour Tunnel’s fares would be cut under the proposal in an effort to reduce congestion at other tunnels. Photo: Edward Wong

The IT sector legislator Charles Mok, speaking on another radio programme, said he had great reservations about the proposal.

“It sounds like it was dictated by the will of senior officials, with the government having a ‘take it or leave it’ attitude.”

He said that though the proposal might be the optimal one under the computing model, the second best one, with toll adjustments, might be more acceptable to the public and he hoped the government could deliver it.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Minister calls for support on tunnel tolls
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