Hong Kong Launches Southbound Travel Scheme to Enhance Connectivity with Guangdong and Boost Economic Development

Policy announcement of Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles

​The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (July 2) announced the policy direction of Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (the Southbound Travel Scheme).

The Southbound Travel Scheme is an important measure to promote the facilitation of the flow of people and vehicles between Hong Kong and the Mainland as well as the transport and logistics development through the study and formulation of transport policies between Hong Kong, Macao and the Mainland, thereby duly implementing the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as well as the requirements of relevant documents of the Central Government. With the agreement of Guangdong and the strong support of the Central Government, Guangdong and Hong Kong have been discussing and taking forward the policy through the task force for collaboration on Guangdong-Hong Kong transportation, and reached a consensus on expediting the implementation of the policy of the Southbound Travel Scheme.

The automated carparks of the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Hong Kong Port is a part of the Southbound Travel Scheme, providing "park and fly" arrangements before the Hong Kong control point. As for the entry into the urban area via the HZMB, Guangdong and Hong Kong have made advance planning, and will strive to implement it simultaneously in November this year, allowing Mainland residents to apply. The booking procedure for using the port carpark is relatively simple, while Guangdong vehicles entering into the urban area are required to undergo vehicle inspection and other procedures. Therefore, it is expected that Guangdong vehicles will start using the port carpark first, and will also be able to enter into the urban area within this year.

The Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, said, "Since its successful launch in July 2023, Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles (the Northbound Travel Scheme) has become increasingly popular among Hong Kong citizens. The Northbound Travel Scheme is a mutual arrangement with the Southbound Travel Scheme. Eligible single-plate private cars of Guangdong can apply to travel to Hong Kong via the HZMB through an innovative and simple route, which facilitates mutual visits between residents of the two places and meets the expectations of mutual engagement. Not only will it attract different types of travellers, but also facilitate visits by relatives, friends and business partners in Guangdong, which in turn promote social exchanges, benefit many trades and sectors in Hong Kong, as well as promote the integration of the Greater Bay Area."

For the Northbound Travel Scheme, over 100 000 Hong Kong vehicles have participated, which means that one out of every five vehicles has joined. The usage of the HZMB has also hit new highs. In May this year, the two-way traffic throughput reached 450 000 trips, which was an average of about 15 000 trips per day, an increase of about 170 per cent compared to before the implementation of the Northbound Travel Scheme, among which vehicles travelling under the Northbound Travel Scheme accounted for about 40per cent of the two-way traffic throughput of the HZMB, which amounted to an average of about 6 000 trips per day. We have been working with the Guangdong Provincial Government to optimize the scheme in various aspects, including improving port clearance efficiency, streamlining booking arrangements, etc, with a view to providing Hong Kong citizens with better experiences.

For the Southbound Travel Scheme, the AAHK's "Park & Fly" carpark has 1 800 spaces, and the AAHK has developed the booking system. This arrangement will further attract Mainland residents to transfer flight via the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), which fully reflects Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub. For entry into the urban area, it will start with a small-scale 100 daily booking quota to test the system and procedural arrangements. We will closely monitor the operation, as well as take into consideration the traffic at the port and nearby roads, users' adaptation, social responses, etc, and take it forward in a prudent and manageable manner, that is, to take a "small-and-quick step" approach for accumulating implementation experience, and then increasing the number of quota. In the meantime, the AAHK is taking forward the "Park & Visit" carpark at the HZMB port, which allows Mainland residents to "park and ride" for visiting the facilities on the Airport Island, and then different places in Hong Kong.

From now until November this year, the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong will continue to actively formulate implementation arrangements for the Southbound Travel Scheme in a prudent and orderly manner, including management arrangements, system interface, construction works, facilitation measures, port clearance, monitoring measures, insurance arrangements, publicity work, and full-scale drills (relevant information at Annex), so that the scheme will be orderly implemented, welcomed by users, to the satisfaction of the public, and beneficial to the community at large. We strive to announce the details as soon as possible within this year.

The Southbound Travel Scheme will open up a new mode of southbound travel for Mainland residents. We welcome travellers with different travel purposes to use the HKIA or stay in Hong Kong, which will benefit the tourism, business, exhibitions, entertainment, professional services, shopping, catering, and other sectors in different districts. Along the above, the Southbound Travel Scheme will further promote the integration of the Greater Bay Area and benefit Hong Kong's economic development.

Labour Department highly concerned about fatal work accident that happened in Tsuen Wan today

The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about a fatal work accident that happened at a construction site in Tsuen Wan this afternoon (January 14), in which several oxy-acetylene cylinders fell from a container during a lifting operation and hit workers underneath, resulting in the death of one worker and injuries to two workers. The LD is saddened by the death and injury of the workers in the accident, and expresses its deepest sympathies to the victim’s family and the injured workers.

The LD's spokesman said, "We commenced an immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and have issued suspension notices to the contractors concerned, suspending the lifting operation at the site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until the LD is satisfied that suitable measures to abate the relevant risks have been taken."

The spokesman added, "We will complete the investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."

To prevent loads being lifted from falling and hitting workers, the LD reminds employers to ensure that (i) the loads have been safely and securely connected to lifting gear before lifting operations; (ii) the gate of the container holding the loads is properly locked or fastened; and (iii) lifting zone is demarcated and barricaded, with no one entering the zone during lifting operations.

The general duty provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, plant and systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the relevant provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $10 million and imprisonment for two years.

In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its mobile application "OSH 2.0", website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent a recurrence of similar accidents.

The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.

Source: AI-found images