Hong Kong’s Transport Department is processing 700 applications referred by the Chinese mainland authorities for permits allowing private cars to drive into the city’s urban areas.
The Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles program, set to take effect at midnight on Dec 23, will permit eligible and approved vehicles from Guangdong province to enter Hong Kong via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.
Approved vehicles may stay in Hong Kong for up to three days. The initial daily quota is set at 100 vehicles.
In the first pre-set quota ballot last month, 2,388 applicants vied for 1,700 available slots. Successful applicants must first submit their material to Guangdong authorities for preliminary vetting, after which the applications are forwarded to Hong Kong’s Transport Department for final approval.
A Transport Department spokesperson said that all applications with the correct material can be approved, but did not specify how many have been approved or how long processing will take.
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Once approved, applicants must complete vehicle safety inspections at 13 centers in Guangzhou, Jiangmen, Zhongshan, and Zhuhai. Vehicles must also obtain insurance, display a Hong Kong license plate, and add value to HKeToll, a free-flow toll system in Hong Kong. Due to differing traffic regulations, vehicles are prohibited from using remote control parking functions or smart driving systems.
Mainland drivers are reminded that drivers in Hong Kong use the left side of the road, and there are differences in road design, traffic rules, and signage. Authorities have urged drivers to exercise caution when overtaking, making right turns, using roundabouts, merging onto expressways, and observing signs such as “Pedestrian crossing ahead”, “Give way”, or “Stop”. Educational videos explaining Hong Kong’s traffic rules and road markings are available at inspection centers and on social media.
Motorists are also reminded that failure to comply with traffic laws may result in fines or imprisonment upon conviction.
