Ombudsman announces results of full investigation into Transport Department's lack of transparency in relocating toll point at Western Harbour Crossing (with photo)
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The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (October 3) announced the completion of a full investigation into the Transport Department (TD)'s lack of transparency in relocating the toll point at the Western Harbour Crossing (WHC), with nine recommendations on improvement measures made.
The TD has installed a primary and a backup toll point for each direction of travel at all its toll tunnels (including the WHC). When the primary toll point is suspended from service due to facility maintenance or roadworks, the toll collection will be switched to the backup toll point. The TD activates the corresponding Toll Information Display to indicate the toll point in operation. Upon review, the TD confirmed that on the southbound lane of the WHC only two locations (the Kowloon entrance and the Hong Kong Island exit) were suitable for installing toll points. The two locations are approximately two kilometres apart, a distance greater than the typical 200-metre separation between primary and backup toll points at other tunnels. As a result, there is a noticeable interval between the times for those vehicles passing through the two toll points during the transition time slot, thus affecting the toll charged.
Mr Chan said, "The Office of The Ombudsman (Office) received three complaints in which the complainants alleged that when they had driven southbound through the WHC towards Hong Kong Island during the transition time slot in the morning between February and March 2025, they noticed that the Toll Information Display at the Kowloon entrance did not show the real-time tolls, and the tolls charged were slightly higher than what they understood as the usual rate. One of the complainants called the HKeToll customer service hotline (Hotline) to enquire about the matter, but the frontline staff were unable to provide the precise location of the toll point. The complainants criticised the TD for lack of transparency and found it confusing that the TD had relocated the toll point without prior notice.
"The Office's investigation found that the TD had deactivated the primary toll point on the southbound lane of the WHC from January to March 2025 due to roadworks, and the toll collection was switched to the backup toll point. As the Hotline staff were unfamiliar with the locations of the toll points, they were unable to respond to enquiries properly. It is understandable that the relocation of a toll point is required for operational needs. However, the TD would merely turn off the Toll Information Display to indicate that a toll point was inactive. We consider this practice unsatisfactory. Moreover, nearly a month after the toll collection had been switched to the backup toll point, the Hotline staff were still unclear about its location and could not properly respond to the complainant's enquiry, indicating that the TD had not provided Hotline staff with essential and most updated information in advance, nor had it attached importance to training," he said.
Following the launch of the full investigation into this case, the TD has responded positively and has started to improve information dissemination regarding the relocation of toll points on the southbound lane of WHC to enhance transparency. The TD will notify the public of a relocation by displaying a conspicuous banner on the HKeToll website and mobile app, and via the TD's website and the HKeMobility mobile app, and on variable message signs along relevant road sections. The current practice of turning off the Toll Information Display at the inactive toll point will be modified to keeping it on to display a message about the relocation of the toll point. The TD has also instructed the management of the relevant toll service provider to strengthen staff training and ensure proper responses to public enquiries.
Overall, the Office has made nine recommendations for improvements to the TD, which mainly include: closely follow up on the system enhancement works for improving information dissemination, and strengthen supervision of the progress of contractors; conduct timely reviews of the effectiveness and operation of the improvement measures; further consider and explore more effective ways to disseminate information about toll point relocations; consider liaising closely with other government departments (such as the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department); step up monitoring of the performance of the HKeToll hotline service provider and clearly set out in operational guidelines the arrangements prior to toll point relocations for compliance by staff. The TD has accepted and implemented all of these recommendations.
The full investigation report has been uploaded to the website of the Office of The Ombudsman at www.ombudsman.hk for public information.
Ends/Friday, October 3, 2025
Issued at HKT 11:00
Issued at HKT 11:00
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