Govt to soon allow private cars to enter Hong Kong from Guangdong

The Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles plan, which allows vehicles from Guangdong province heading south to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, will be implemented within the year, said Guangdong provincial department of public security on Wednesday.

Relevant departments from Guangdong and Hong Kong are now busy finalizing the detailed arrangements and actively advancing all preparations for the plan, which will help accelerate integrated development of the two sides, according to the statement issued by the provincial department.

"After the plan takes effect, Guangdong private cars that meet the conditions and get approval from authorities can travel to the SAR via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge to park in automated parking lots or directly enter the urban area of Hong Kong," it said.

The "Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles" plan, which allows private cars owners from the SAR to drive to Guangdong via the bridge without having to apply for a Chinese mainland private vehicle registration plate, was implemented on July 1, 2023. Since then, the number of Hong Kong private cars applying to enter Guangdong has been steadily increasing to reach more than 100,000, promoting economic cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides, said the statement.

According to a CCTV report, Mable Chan, the secretary for transport and logistics of Hong Kong, said on Wednesday the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles plan is expected to be implemented in November, and the daily quota will be 100 vehicles.

According to a news release from the information office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, Chan visited Guangzhou on Monday to attend a meeting of the task force for collaboration on Guangdong-Hong Kong transportation with officials of Guangdong province. Angela Lee, the commissioner for transport of Hong Kong, also joined the visit.

During their meeting, both sides discussed ways to promulgate the implementation of the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles and optimize the Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles.

Chan said, "Since the launch of the Northbound Travel Scheme on July 1, 2023, over 100,000 vehicles have participated in the plan. The number of HZMB has also recorded new traffic highs, with its two-way traffic flow reaching a total of 450,000 vehicles in May.

Chan said Guangdong and Hong Kong have been committed to promoting various cross-boundary transport measures to strengthen people's exchange in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Over the past two years, the officials of both sides have been enhancing the arrangements for the Northbound Travel Scheme while proactively preparing for the Southbound Travel Scheme, including the use of two automated carparks near the HZMB Hong Kong Port for passengers to transfer flights in Hong Kong or go through immigration clearance to enter Hong Kong, as well as allowing Guangdong vehicles to enter Hong Kong urban areas, she added.