The Transport Bureau (DSAT) said yesterday it expects there will be more than 200 bus trips per day between the border checkpoints of the three jurisdictions for the Hong-Kong-Zhuhai-Macau (HKZM) Bridge – colloquially known as delta bridge – when it comes into operation.

The mega-bridge is widely expected to open to traffic later this year. Its opening date is yet to be decided and officially announced by the central government.

Concerning cross-border coach services between Macau and Hong Kong – from a particular point in Macau to a point in Hong Kong and vice versa, the bureau announced yesterday that Macau-registered coaches will be allowed to run 16 round trips between the two special administrative regions per day, while Hong Kong-registered coaches will be allowed to run 34 round trips per day.

The bureau also announced that 100 permits will be issued for cross-border taxi services between Macau and Hong Kong via the delta bridge. The taxis can travel an unlimited number of times per day. The bridge will be open 24/7.

The bureau hosted a press conference yesterday about the future passenger transportation arrangement and services for the delta bridge.

Addressing the press conference, DSAT Director Kelvin Lam Hin San said that the bus services on the delta bridge will have two routes – one between Hong Kong and Macau and the other between Hong Kong and Zhuhai.

According to Lam, there will be a bus every five minutes on the delta bridge during rush hours.

Lam said that the delta bridge bus service has been granted by the Guangdong government to a private company, which he did not name. He also said that the fee is yet to be announced.

Hong Kong media reported in March that a company headed by Hong Kong-Macau businesswoman Pansy Ho Chiu-king won the Guangdong provincial government’s monopoly concession to run shuttle bus services across the bridge. According to the reports at that time, a delta bridge bus ride would cost HK$80.

Lam also said yesterday that the local government was planning two local bus routes – between the peninsula and Macau’s HKZM Bridge border checkpoint (101X), and between Taipa and the checkpoint (102X).

During yesterday’s press conference, Lam also said that 600 permits will be issued for Macau-registered cars to travel to and from Hong Kong under a regular quota initiative.

The regular quota for Hong Kong-registered cars entering Macau via the delta bridge has been set at 300 permits, Lam said.

The Macau government first announced the regular quota initiative for cross-border cars from the two cities in February.

Among the 600 permits for Macau-registered cars, a total of 500 will be valid for one year, while the other 100 will have a six-month validity, according to the February announcement. The 300 permits for Hong Hong-registered cars will be valid for three years.

According to the February announcement, Macau and Hong Kong bound vehicles registered under the regular quota initiative by the two sides will have unlimited access to the respective special administrative region within the validity period of the relevant permit.

During yesterday’s press conference, Lam also said that the West Car Park at Macau’s HKZM Bridge border checkpoint will be for drivers of Macau-registered vehicles to park there before going to Hong Kong via public transport.

According to the Official Gazette (BO), the West Car Park has a capacity of 5,143 spaces – comprising 3,089 for cars and 2,054 for motorcycles and scooters.

In the West Car Park, cars will be charged six patacas per hour during the day (from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and three patacas per hour during the night. Motorcycles and scooters will be charged two patacas per hour during the day and one pataca per hour during the night, according to the gazette.

Lam also said that the East Car Park at Macau’s HKZM Bridge border checkpoint will be for drivers of Hong Kong-registered cars to park there before entering Macau via public transport. .

According to the gazette, the East Car Park has a capacity of 3,000 spaces for Macau-bound drivers of Hong Kong-registered cars.

According to the February announcement, the East Car Park will be for Hong Kong-registered cars that have not been registered under the regular quota initiative for cross-border cars.

Drivers of Hong Kong-registered vehicles wishing to drive to – but not into – Macau via the bridge will be required to register in advance and reserve a space in the Macau-administered East Car Park, according to the February announcement.

According to the gazette, Hong Kong-registered cars will be charged 180 patacas per session (a session lasts 12 hours). Cars that are parked for less than 12 hours will be counted as having parked for a session – so they will also be charged 180 patacas.

According to the gazette, a day is divided into two sessions – one from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and the other from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. the next day.

According to the gazette, drivers of Hong Kong-registered cars wishing to use the East Car Park will be  required to make the reservation for a parking space 30 days in advance at the earliest and 12 hours at the latest prior to parking their cars in the car park.

According to the gazette, Hong Kong vehicles can be parked in the East Car Park for a maximum of eight consecutive days (16 sessions).

During yesterday’s press conference, Lam also said that the city’s six gaming operators have agreed to jointly run two shuttle bus routes between Macau’s HKZM Bridge border checkpoint and the city – one to and from the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal and the other for the Taipa Ferry Terminal.

Transport Bureau (DSAT) Director Kelvin Lam Hin San addresses yesterday’s press conference at the bureau about the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau (HKZM) Bridge passenger transportation arrangement and services. Photo: Tony Wong

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