Hong Kong Prepares for Guangdong Vehicles' Urban Access Starting December 23 with Enhanced Safety Measures.

Government implements Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles steadily and provides convenience upon entry into urban area under vehicle and road safety (with photo/video)

The Transport Department (TD) today (December 18) said that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been pressing ahead with the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (STGV) in a steady manner under the strategies of ensuring safety, effective diversion, well-equipped supporting facilities, and streamlined application processes. Various measures are ready to receive Guangdong vehicles entering Hong Kong's urban areas from December 23.

Positive response in applications

The STGV (Entry into Urban Area) has been open for application from eligible Guangdong private cars since December 9. After the TD's vetting, applicants gradually completed procedures such as vehicle inspection, verification of e-contact means and obtaining insurance, and then submitted documents via the application system. The TD will issue electronic permits and approval letters to the successful applicants accordingly. The TD has arranged vehicle inspection centres to install the HKeToll vehicle tags for vehicles during inspection, and applicants are required to set up auto-payment means or top up their HKeToll accounts for toll payments. Starting from 0.00am on December 23, approved Guangdong vehicles with confirmed travel bookings may enter Hong Kong's urban areas via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) for up to three days per visit.

Vehicle and road safety

The Government attaches great importance to vehicle and road safety. All Guangdong vehicles entering Hong Kong's urban areas are required to undergo and pass a vehicle examination in accordance with Hong Kong requirements at the TD's designated vehicle inspection centres on the Mainland. According to the TD's guidelines, inspection centres are required to carry out 15 inspection items, which include verification of the vehicle identification number and engine number; inspection of tyres and steering, suspension and braking systems; and examination of body structure, markings, safety equipment and whether any vehicle modifications have been made. Managed by Hong Kong service providers, the inspection centres must ensure that Guangdong vehicles are in compliance with Hong Kong standards and are safe for use on Hong Kong roads. The TD has provided training to inspection personnel to ensure consistency in inspection standards.

On road safety, Hong Kong adopts the "left-hand traffic" rule for road design, under which traffic keeps to the left-hand side of the roads, which is different from that on the Mainland. The style of some traffic signs and road markings is also different. Guangdong drivers must heighten their vigilance, particularly when overtaking, making right turns at junctions, using roundabouts, merging onto expressways or seeing signs like "Pedestrian crossing ahead", "Give way" or "Stop", where extra caution is warranted. Motorists are reminded that failing to comply with relevant requirements under traffic laws is liable on conviction to fines or imprisonment.

The TD has released videos on driving in Hong Kong at inspection centres and on social media to introduce Hong Kong's traffic rules, traffic signs and road markings, and points to note while driving. Publicity leaflets have also been distributed to remind Guangdong drivers of the differences between Mainland and Hong Kong road designs, traffic rules and facilities. Guangdong drivers may also refer to the Road Users' Code published by the TD for more details.

Enhanced supporting facilities for diversion

After entering the urban areas, Guangdong drivers may download the TD's HKeMobility mobile app for the latest traffic news and details of parking and charging facilities in various districts to plan their journeys. The HKeMobility launched the STGV dedicated page (sbt.hkemobility.gov.hk) with new functions today to display, via a map-based interface, carparks with enhanced facilities supporting charging for Mainland electric vehicles and Mainland payment means. It also facilitates searches for carparks near tourist hotspots. The TD has liaised with operators of common navigation apps used by Mainland drivers and noted that they will update their Hong Kong maps with reference to HKeMobility and the transport and traffic data from the Government's Open Data Portal to provide the latest information on parking and charging facilities. These measures help ensure road safety and effective diversion.

The TD will release information on carparks to provide convenience for Guangdong drivers in locating public and private carparks with enhanced supporting facilities across districts. Guangdong drivers may use the Octopus App or physical Octopus cards for payment at most carparks. Furthermore, the TD has commissioned an operator to set up the Lantau Charging Stationcum STGVInformation Centre, providing convenient charging services for Guangdong electric vehicles entering the urban areas via the HZMB Hong Kong Port or before returning to Guangdong, along with the latest information on the STGV. The Charging Station has been equipped with ultra fastchargers suitable for both local and Guangdong vehicles.

Guangdong drivers may refer to the Tourist Parking Guides to plan their journeys by self-driving and matching public transport to explore Hong Kong's diverse appeals in culture, sports, exhibitions, shopping and theme parks, thereby diverting Guangdong vehicles to different districts and benefitting various trades and sectors under the inflow of additional tourists.

Since November, the TD has been in collaboration with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Office in a series of thematic posts on Mainland social media. Details of different parts of the STGV (Entry into Urban Area) are also provided on the thematic webpage, the application and driving information kit, publicity leaflets and tutorial videos. The HKSAR Government will implement the STGV in an orderly manner so that it will be well received by users, reassuring to the public, and beneficial to the community at large.

Government implements Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles steadily and provides convenience upon entry into urban area under vehicle and road safety (with photo/video) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and dismantles related illicit cigarette storage centres

Hong Kong Customs mounted enforcement operations to combat illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and shut down related illicit cigarette storage centres between September and December, successfully neutralising a transnational syndicate that smuggled illicit cigarettes through air passengers. A total of about 11.64 million illicit cigarettes and 1.4 million alternative smoking products were seized, with an estimated market value of about $56.5 million. The duty potential of the illicit cigarettes was about $38.5 million. Sixty-one persons connected with the cases were arrested.

During the operations, Customs detected 38 illicit cigarette smuggling cases involving passengers at the airport and seized a total of about 1.44 million illicit cigarettes. Forty-three passengers, aged between 21 and 61 and arriving in Hong Kong from the East and Southeast Asian regions, were arrested.

Following intelligence analyses and in-depth investigations into the cases, Customs discovered that a cigarette smuggling syndicate had been using hotel rooms as distribution points for the illicit cigarettes. After sorting and packaging, the illicit cigarettes would be transported to storage centres in industrial or commercial buildings for temporary storage and subsequently supplied to different districts or transported to logistics centres for overseas transshipment.

Customs then mounted a series of enforcement actions and raided various illicit cigarette distribution points and storage centres, including three hotel rooms in Tsuen Wan, Ting Kau and Tuen Mun, five industrial building units in Kwai Chung, Fanling, Tuen Mun and Ap Lei Chau, one commercial building unit in Tsuen Wan, and one logistics centre in Tsing Yi. A total of about 10.2 million illicit cigarettes and 1.4 million alternative smoking products were seized, and 18 men, aged between 22 and 52, were arrested.

Fifty-seven of the arrestees had been charged for dealing with or possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes, failing to declare them to Customs officers, or importing alternative smoking products, in contravention of the Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO) or the Import and Export Ordinance (IEO), while 35 of them were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for between four weeks and nine months at the Magistrates' Courts. Customs welcomes the sentences. The custodial sentences have imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflect the seriousness of the offences.

It is believed that the operations have effectively disrupted the source and the local supply chains of the illicit cigarettes. As some of the brands of the illicit cigarettes seized were uncommon in Hong Kong, Customs believes that the syndicate planned to transport part of the illicit cigarettes to regions with higher tobacco duty for profit.

Customs will continue its risk assessment and intelligence analysis for interception at source as well as through its multipronged enforcement strategy targeting storage, distribution and peddling to vigorously combat illicit cigarette activities.

Under the DCO, any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years. In addition, under the IEO, any person who imports an alternative smoking product into Hong Kong commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and dismantles related illicit cigarette storage centres Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and dismantles related illicit cigarette storage centres Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs combats illicit cigarette smuggling activities involving air passengers and dismantles related illicit cigarette storage centres Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases