Adjusting operating hours of passenger clearance services at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port
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- Operating hours of passengers clearance services at the Passenger Clearance Building (i.e. clearance for passengers crossing the boundary by cross-boundary coaches and shuttle buses) will be shortened to run from 10am to 8pm daily; and
- Operating hours of the clearance for private cars will be shortened to run from 6am to 10pm daily.
The operating hours for cargo clearance will not be affected and remain unchanged (i.e. 24 hours daily).
In response to the dire situation of the COVID-19 epidemic and to reduce cross-boundary people flow and better utilise the resources for epidemic prevention work at the control points, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government, the Macao SAR Government and the Zhuhai Municipal Government have, after deliberation, agreed to shorten the operating hours of passenger clearance services at the three ports of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge simultaneously. The operating hours for cargo clearance remain at 24-hour. The spokesman reminds passengers travelling between Zhuhai and Hong Kong or between Macao and Hong Kong to allow sufficient time to ensure that they can reach the Port they are entering within the operating hours for passenger clearance to complete the immigration procedures.
In view of the development of the epidemic situation, the Hong Kong SAR Government has since January 30 suspended passenger clearance services at 12 land-based and sea-based control points by phases. Currently, passenger clearance services are only available at two land-based control points, i.e. the Shenzhen Bay Port and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port. Separately, since February 8, all persons entering Hong Kong from the Mainland or having stayed in the Mainland in the past 14 days before arrival in Hong Kong are subject to compulsory quarantine for 14 days. The 14-day compulsory quarantine arrangement has been extended to persons entering Hong Kong from Macao from March 25 onwards. Meanwhile, the operating hours of the passenger clearance services at the Shenzhen Bay Port was shortened to 10am to 8pm daily from April 3.
The above measures have been effective in reducing the cross-boundary people flow and the risk of the spread of the virus. As of April 2, the number of arrivals and departures via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port was 146 (of which 94 per cent were Hong Kong residents), representing a 99 per cent decrease compared with the figure prior to the implementation of the above measures. The number of arrivals and departures via Shenzhen Bay Port was 1 165 (86 per cent of which were Hong Kong residents), representing a 97 per cent decrease compared with the figures prior to the implementation of the above measures.
All land-based cargo clearance services have been operating as usual. In March 2020, there were an average of 8 197 trips by goods vehicles entering Hong Kong daily (8 186 trips departing Hong Kong), representing a 20 per cent increase compared with an average of 6 838 trips daily (6 815 trips departing Hong Kong) in January 2020.
The spokesman appeals to members of the public to avoid all non-essential travel to places outside Hong Kong. They are advised to stay home and avoid social activities such as meal gatherings or other gatherings, and keep an appropriate social distance from other people as far as possible. The Government will continue to closely monitor the development of the epidemic and introduce necessary measures in response to the situation.
Ends/Saturday, April 4, 2020
Issued at HKT 1:28
Issued at HKT 1:28
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