Hong Kong e-toll system to be rolled out at Tate’s Cairn Tunnel on Sunday; drivers advised to plan ahead, be aware of changes to lanes and signs
- HKeToll system will begin operating at Tate’s Cairn Tunnel between Diamond Hill and Sha Tin at 5am on Sunday
- Authorities have rolled out system, which allows drivers to pass through toll area and pay electronically without stopping or queuing, at most other government-run tunnels
Commissioner for Transport Angela Lee Chung-yan on Thursday said the new system, which was already in place at most other government-run tunnels, had been operating without problems since being installed earlier in the year.
“On average, there are about 430,000 vehicles a day using the new payment system to pass through the tunnels, and the system has been running smoothly,” she said.
The HKeToll system will begin operating at Tate’s Cairn Tunnel between Diamond Hill and Sha Tin at 5am on Sunday.
The Transport Department said both directions of traffic at the tunnel, as well as connecting roads, would be closed between 4am and 5am, with the number of lanes at the toll area reduced from seven to four after it reopened.
Authorities earlier this year installed the system at the city’s three harbour crossings, as well as the Tsing Sha Control Area, Shing Mun tunnels and Lion Rock Tunnel.
The Aberdeen Tunnel will be the final one to adopt the arrangement next month.
More than 810,000 vehicle tags have been issued for using the system, accounting for more than 99 per cent of licensed vehicles in the city, of which 92 per cent have opened HKeToll accounts and 73 per cent have set up automatic payment methods.