79,500 passenger trips, 8,000 vehicle movements at new Huanggang Port on opening day

Hong Kong’s new Huanggang Port recorded 79,500 passenger movements and 8,000 vehicle movements on its first day of operations, with transport officials preparing for heavier flows expected during the coming holiday weekend.

Statistics from the Shenzhen General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection showed 41,300 passenger trips entered Hong Kong through the rebuilt checkpoint on Monday, while 38,200 departed the city. The figures count movements, rather than unique travellers.

“The overall operation of immigration clearance and public transport connections was smooth, meeting our expectations,” Transport Secretary Mable Chan said in a radio interview on Tuesday.

But with higher passenger and vehicle flows expected during the coming Chung Yeung holiday weekend, operators were preparing additional staff and services, she added.

Chan said signs at the public transport interchange showed passengers how to connect to buses and other services, while staff were on hand to provide directions.

The government would strengthen publicity to help familiarise travellers with the new arrangements.

The city’s largest franchised bus operator KMB said its two routes serving the port, B10 and B11, carried about 25,000 passengers on Monday.

The company added that it had recorded 70 trips at Tai Lam Tunnel interchange and Tsing Yi station for the B10, and about 70 additional B11 trips in Yuen Long.

During the peak periods over the holiday weekend, the daytime routes could run as frequently as every five minutes, KMB operations director Kelvin Yeung Chun-wai said.

“We ran extra trips throughout the day because it was the first day of operations and we didn’t have much data,” he said.

Yeung added that KMB would study whether to extend the operating hours of the existing overnight NB73, which serves Sheung Shui, Fanling, Tai Po and Sha Tin.

The new connection also shortened some cross-border journeys for students.

Wong Kin Ho, principal of Tin Shui Wai’s Yuen Yuen Institute MFBM Nei Ming Chan Lui Chung Tak Memorial College, said the school had about 120 cross-border pupils and had interviewed around 20 who used Huanggang on Monday.

“I spoke to one student yesterday, and he said the difference in travel time was quite significant – he saved 60 minutes,” Wong said.

“Previously, it could take him one hour and 45 minutes to get to school via Shenzhen Bay or even Lo Wu. Yesterday, he went through Huanggang and took a KMB bus to Tin Shui Wai and on to school in about 45 minutes, so it was much more convenient,” Wong said.

But he added the change was not suited for every pupil as the B11 stop was some distance from the school and required another connection.

The school would need more time and data before deciding whether to arrange a dedicated service, Wong said.

Legislator Jeff Yiu Ming, who visited the checkpoint, praised the clear signs and efficient passenger clearance.

“It took only about a dozen seconds to clear immigration,” he said.

But he saw queues of more than 10 people for taxis, including travellers with luggage heading to the airport, and noted that some eventually took buses instead.

He also flagged the potential bottleneck of traffic around San Tin caused by roadworks and heavy vehicles, and suggested authorities review signal timings and the taxi queuing area.

KMB expects passenger numbers on its border routes to rise by 10 to 20 per cent this holiday weekend compared with a normal weekend and has prepared resources to add services.