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LCQ6: Usage of the Shenzhen Bay Port
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    Following is a question by the Hon Jeffrey Lam and a reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the Legislative Council meeting today (January 23):

Question:

     People in the freight industry have pointed out that as the ancillary facilities in the vicinity of the Shenzhen port area of the Shenzhen Bay Port ("SBP") are seriously inadequate, the number of vehicles crossing the boundary via SBP has been on the low side. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the respective numbers of different classes of vehicles crossing the boundary via SBP since its commissioning in July last year; how such figures compare to those of other control points for the same period, and whether it has assessed if SBP can achieve the function of diverting traffic flows;

(b) given that the Government had advised in October last year that it would convey to the relevant Shenzhen authorities the trade's comments on the ancillary facilities and the road network, of the latest progress and the outcome of the relevant discussions, and the estimated time for completing the ancillary facilities and the road network concerned; and

(c) of the new concrete measures to be implemented to enhance the utilisation of SBP, so as to alleviate the traffic congestion at other control points?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) The average daily two-way vehicular flow at all land boundary crossings before and after the commissioning of the Shenzhen Bay Port (SBP) is at the Annex. The statistics show that the average daily two-way vehicular flow at SBP is around 4,400 trips at present, which is lower than the original estimate of 29,800 trips. Some members of the freight trade have expressed to us that this is because the connecting traffic network and ancillary facilities in the vicinity of the Shenzhen port area require improvements. Nonetheless, if we compare the average daily vehicular flow at all land boundary crossings in December last year with the corresponding figures in July when SBP was commissioned, we observe that the vehicular flow at Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok decreased by 9.4%, 11.2% and 4.3% respectively. The decrease in the volume of cross-boundary traffic at other land boundary crossings since the commissioning of SBP gives an initial indication of the diversion effect of SBP. As regards passenger traffic, the average daily passenger flow at SBP is around 28,400, which is close to the original estimate.

(b) We have conveyed to the relevant Shenzhen authorities the freight trade's comments on ancillary facilities at the control point and the road network for their consideration of implementing improvement measures as necessary. According to our understanding, the Shenzhen side is actively preparing for the construction of a temporary office building in the Shenzhen port area to allow freight companies to set up offices for providing support on customs declaration and clearance of goods. The Shenzhen authorities have also implemented some traffic management measures (e.g. installing additional traffic signs, designating goods vehicles-only lanes at the Yueliangwan Avenue leading to the control point, etc.) to attract cross-boundary vehicles (in particular goods vehicles) to use the new control point. In addition, the Guangdong government has indicated that it will expedite the construction works of the Guangshen Yanjiang Expressway with a view to commissioning the entire expressway by end 2010.

(c) The Guangdong and Hong Kong governments have already implemented a number of measures to encourage different types of cross-boundary vehicles to use SBP since its commissioning to ease the traffic at other existing crossings. We have reached an agreement with the Guangdong government to exempt goods vehicles of cross-boundary freight companies from the requirement of obtaining an additional SBP crossing endorsement in advance from the relevant authorities in Guangdong Province so as to allow most goods vehicles to use SBP, and extended the arrangement for cross-boundary private cars to use the control point on a trial basis to 31 March this year. The two governments are also considering the feasibility of further extending the trial arrangement for cross-boundary private cars to use SBP. We will inform quota holders of the relevant arrangements once consensus is reached by both sides.  

     The Guangdong and Hong Kong governments will continue to closely monitor the operation and vehicular flow of the new control point, and will consider relevant measures to further encourage users of other land boundary crossings to switch to using SBP as necessary.

Ends/Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:51

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