Hong Kong’s Autotoll to waive HK$35 monthly charge for non-usage over 30-day period starting May 1
- Waiver intended to help drivers adapt to new system due to launch on May 7, operator says
- About 300,000 users of existing system will be automatically reimbursed if they do not use service at any tunnels over 30 days, company says
The operator of Hong Kong’s auto toll system will exempt users from a monthly administrative charge of HK$35 (US$4.50) if they do not use the service over a 30-day period starting on May 1, ahead of the launch of the government’s HKeToll scheme.
Autotoll on Monday said the waiver was intended to help drivers adapt to the new system, which is due to launch on May 7 following a two-month delay and a fiasco over registration.
The company said 349,000 users of the existing Autotoll system would be automatically reimbursed the HK$35 administration fee if they did not use the service at any tunnels for an entire calendar month. But users would still be charged the fee at the beginning of each month.
The government plans to roll out the HKeToll scheme, an e-payment system that does not carry any service charge, at the Tsing Sha Control Area, which serves the Tsing-Sha Highway between Tsing Yi and Sha Tin.
The HKeToll system, originally set to debut on February 26, allows drivers to pay without having to stop or queue up.
