The journey time from Hong Kong to Shenzhen will be cut by 30 minutes, thanks to the opening of Shenzhen Bay Bridge, Highways Department Chief Engineer Ma Ming-yiu says.

The 5.5-km Shenzhen Bay Bridge, open on July 1, is the fourth vehicular boundary crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. It links the new checkpoint at Shenzhen Bay Port in Shekou with Ngau Hom Shek in the northwest New Territories, where the 5.4-km Deep Bay Link starts, connecting to Yuen Long Highway.

New link: Highways Department Chief Engineer Ma Ming-yiu says Shenzhen Bay Bridge can cater for 80,000 vehicles a day. Lane change-over facilities are provided in view of different traffic configurations in Hong Kong and the Mainland.

Higher capacity

It will take drivers 10 minutes to travel from Lam Tei in Tuen Mun to the Shenzhen Bay Port Passenger Terminal Building - 30 minutes less than travelling via the Lok Ma Chau checkpoint.

Speaking to news.gov.hk, Mr Ma pointed out the cross-boundary cable-stayed bridge is a dual three-lane carriageway spanning Deep Bay. With a capacity of 80,000 vehicles a day, the bridge's maximum speed limit is 100km an hour. In view of different traffic configurations in Hong Kong and the Mainland, lane change-over facilities are provided near the Shenzhen Bay Port.

"Hong Kong's immigration and customs facilities will be co-located with those of the Mainland at the Shenzhen Bay Port under the co-location arrangement, the first of its kind to be implemented at checkpoints. Under this arrangement, coach passengers will only have to get on and off once instead of twice in going through clearance procedures of the two sides," Mr Ma said.

Cargo clearance and passenger clearance areas have been set up in the Shenzhen Bay Port Hong Kong Port Area. Their are 64 goods vehicle kiosks, 94 passenger counters, 50 private car and four coach kiosks.

Ample facilities

Other facilities include public transport and cross-boundary coach passenger pick up/drop off areas, as well as health inspection and quarantine facilities.

Last year, Hong Kong's three land boundary crossings - Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok - recorded an average daily traffic of 42,400 vehicles, 2% higher than in 2005 and almost reaching the crossings' total capacity of 42,500 vehicles. Lok Ma Chau was the busiest, accounting for 75% of the vehicles, while 19% went through Man Kam To and 6% via Sha Tau Kok.

"We expect Shenzhen Bay Bridge's two-way daily traffic will be 29,800 vehicles during its initial period of opening, and will rise to 60,300 vehicles a day in 2016," Mr Ma said.

For the other three crossings, the traffic flow at Lok Ma Chau, Man Kam To and Sha Tau Kok after Shenzhen Bay Bridge's opening will slip to 26,000, 7,200 and 2,500 vehicles a day, accounting for 40%, 11% and 4% of the total.

Stronger ties

Noting Shenzhen Bay Bridge can help meet the ever-increasing cross-boundary traffic demand, Mr Ma said it can also be conducive to the economic ties between Hong Kong and the Mainland.

"It will enhance the flow of both passengers and goods between Hong Kong and Southern China, bolstering Hong Kong's status as the Pearl River Delta's trade and logistics hub and bringing sustantial economic benefits.

"The bridge is also the first mega cross-boundary infrastructural project between Hong Kong and Guangdong, requiring close co-operation between the two sides and promoting professional exchanges. This valuable experience has laid a solid groundwork for future cross-boundary infrastructural projects," Mr Ma added.

Shenzhen Bay Bridge is 5.5-km long, and the Hong Kong section is 3.5 km. Works on the Hong Kong section started in August 2003 and were completed in December 2005. The deck structures of the Shenzhen and Hong Kong sections were connected in January 2006.

Co-location arrangement

To implement the co-location arrangement, the Shenzhen Bay Port Hong Kong Port Area Ordinance was passed in April this year to establish a Hong Kong Port Area and allow Hong Kong to exercise jurisdiction in the port area which covers both the Hong Kong clearance area in Shenzhen Bay Port and the Shenzhen Bay Bridge Shenzhen section. The ordinance provides the statutory basis for implementing the co-location arrangement.

More details about the traffic and public transport arrangements for Shenzhen Bay Port are available here.