Free pass: Hong Kong’s Eastern Harbour Tunnel may lose right to collect tolls if lawmaker filibustering prevents bill amendment
Volume of traffic taking advantage of free crossing could surge by 45 per cent, leading to serious congestion in Eastern District, Kwun Tong and Tseung Kwan O
One of the city’s three tunnels under Victoria Harbour could be left unable to collect tolls if filibustering in the Legislative Council prevents an important bill from being passed, the transport and housing bureau has warned.
The Eastern Harbour Tunnel, connecting Quarry Bay to Lam Tin, would have no legal basis to collect tolls following expiry of the 30-year Build-Operate-Transfer contract on August 7, unless the Eastern Harbour Crossing Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2015 was passed before the present Legco session ends on September 30.
In a Legco meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing Ivy Law warned of the consequences if the bill was not passed this term.
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“Traffic conditions in the vicinity will seriously worsen, affecting people who live or work in Eastern District, Kwun Tong and Tseung Kwan O,” she said, claiming congestion would affect around 680,000 people living and 540,000 working in the area.
Law said about 100 people who now work at the tunnel could lose their jobs if the bill was not passed, as there would be no legal basis for the staff to keep working.
The Transport and Housing Bureau said in a document to Legco that “dire consequences” would adversely affect “the livelihood of Hong Kong people” because the tunnel would be seriously congested. It estimated traffic volume would rise by about 45 per cent per day, or 34,000 vehicles more than the current 75,000 vehicles, if tolls were dropped.
READ MORE: Adjust Hong Kong harbour tunnel tolls when Central-Wan Chai Bypass opens, top transport adviser says
The police force would also be seriously strained if it had to take over traffic directing and enforcement at the tunnel, the document stated. It appealed to Legco members to process the bill before the session ended “for the benefits of the public and the economy of Hong Kong”.
