HONG KONG – Public affordability will be taken into account when the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government considers charging toll fees for various tunnels and trunk roads, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday.

Asked about the arrangements of toll fees for the Tai Lam Tunnel and the Central Kowloon Route, he said it’s appropriate to adopt the “user-pays” principle as construction of major infrastructure requires a large amount of public funds and resources.

Lee made the marks after the government took over the Tai Lam Tunnel in the northwestern part of the New Territories and lowered its toll fees for all types of vehicles starting May 31.

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On Monday, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also said that the government will conduct a review of toll charges for its tunnels and look into imposing a charge for the Central Kowloon Route, a 4.7-kilometer trunk road expected to start operation at the end of this year.

"There is a need to have charges for particularly major tunnels and trunk roads, because there is a need for traffic management. Charges will help in managing the traffic flow, and it will also help to ensure that public transport will be given priority in the use of roads. It will also ensure that there will be maximum efficiency as a result of good traffic management," the chief executive told reporters ahead of the Executive Council meeting. 

In the Budget for the current fiscal year, the government said it would review the tolls for its tunnels and strategic routes to increase revenue, as “a lot of money has been spent on building and managing different tunnels and trunk roads”, the CE pointed out.

READ MORE: Budget: CE says govt to roll out measures to boost revenue

In assessing how much to charge, public affordability will be taken into consideration, he said, adding that the situation of 19 sets of government tunnels and trunk roads, with nine of them being tolled tunnels, will be assessed and appropriate tunnel tolls will be set based on inflation and other related factors.

“We have also considered the traffic management as appropriate charges will change drivers’ behavior and habits. Our focus is on traffic efficiency. We also hope to give public transport a priority in using roads,” the CE stressed.

Another priority will be new tunnels or trunk roads, because they will be opened up for use, said Lee, adding that the authorities will conduct a study while designing toll fees and report to the Legislative Council's relevant panel soon.