LCQ5: Driving on Lantau Island Scheme
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Questions:
The Government launched the Driving on Lantau Island Scheme in 2016 to allow members of the public to drive private cars via the closed roads on Lantau Island to recreational spots such as Ngong Ping, Tai O, Cheung Sha and Mui Wo on weekdays. The second phase of the Scheme was launched in 2022, with the daily quota increased from 25 to 50. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of applications received under the Scheme, the number of permits issued, and the number of applications cancelled as a result of successful applicants failing to pay the fee by the deadline, in each of the past three years;
(2) whether it has reviewed the implementation of the second phase of the Scheme and studied the launching of a third phase of the Scheme with enhancements, including further increasing the quota and relaxing the restriction that each private car may only obtain one quota per month; if so, of the specific details and implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and
(3) of the progress of the Feasibility Study on Road Network Enhancement to South Lantau; whether it will complete the study as soon as possible and launch the corresponding road network enhancement works to improve the north-south connectivity on Lantau Island and enhance the road capacity, thereby enhancing the attractiveness of the Scheme?
Reply:
President,
At present, the roads in South Lantau are closed roads. Any vehicle wishing to access these roads is required to hold a valid Lantau Closed Road Permit (LCRP) issued by the Transport Department (TD). To promote domestic tourism and boost local economy, the TD launched the first phase of Driving on Lantau Island Scheme in February 2016, and subsequently launched the second phase of the Scheme in July 2022, under which the number of daily quotas on weekdays was increased from 25 to 50. In consultation with the Development Bureau (DEVB), the reply to the question raised by the Hon Kenneth Lau is as follows:
(1) In the past three years, approximately 12 000 quotas were available for allocation each year, and all quotas were distributed. As regards the number of applications, the TD received about 84 000 applications in 2023, and the number dropped to about 30 000 in the subsequent two years. It is mainly because pandemic-related travel restrictions in many countries had not yet been fully lifted in the first half of 2023 and more members of the public chose to tour around and spend in Hong Kong.
As for the number of abandoned applications in respect of which payment was not made by the deadline after a quota had been allocated, there were about 7 000 cases in 2023, and the figure dropped to approximately 3 000 in the subsequent two years. In light of the above, the TD optimised the balloting system in May 2023 by requiring applicants to provide additional information on the vehicle owners for verification. Detailed figures are set out in the Annex.
(2) It is noted that the number of applications has remained high on the side, reflecting the public's continued demand for driving to South Lantau. When considering the quota arrangements, the Government will take into account factors such as the planning of South Lantau as a nature conservation area, the capacity of ancillary tourist facilities and the traffic conditions. The existing quota arrangements have struck a balance among these considerations. As for the current once-a-month restriction for each private car, the aim is to enable more members of the public to have the chance to enjoy the experience of driving to South Lantau. Relaxing the restriction prematurely would violate the principles of allowing more people to benefit under the limited quota and fair allocation.
The Government encourages members of the public to use public transport to visit South Lantau. Currently, there is a comprehensive public transport network serving South Lantau, comprising 13 franchised bus routes, four ferry routes and Lantau taxis. The TD also allocates 40 quotas per day for coaches to go to South Lantau. At the same time, the TD has actively coordinated with the franchised bus operator on Lantau Island, which is expected to launch a dedicated brand-new tourist service, featuring open-top buses which have recently become highly popular among tourists, by end of this year, with a view to further promoting tourism by public transport.
With numerous traffic improvement projects and ancillary tourist projects rolling out in South Lantau over the next few years, including improvement works in Tai O and Mui Wo, which will provide additional public parking spaces for private cars near Yim Tin and Mui Wo piers. These measures provide us with an opportunity to review the quota arrangements of the Scheme. The TD will continue to monitor the situation, listen to the views of relevant departments and the locals, and explore feasible enhancement directions.
(3) The Civil Engineering and Development Department commenced the Feasibility Study on Road Network Enhancement to South Lantau which examines ways to enhance traffic infrastructure to improve the connection between North and South Lantau, with a view to enhancing the resilience of the road network in South Lantau against emergencies, and taking forward the development of the South Lantau Eco-recreation Corridor. The study is in its final stage, and the DEVB will report the study findings to the Panel on Development of the Legislative Council this year.
Thank you, President.
Ends/Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Issued at HKT 16:35
Issued at HKT 16:35
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