New Huanggang port marks first use amid long holidays

The three-day Chung Yeung Festival long weekend is poised to usher in the first holiday after the opening of the redeveloped Huanggang Port. To manage crowds, special traffic arrangements have been implemented.

Kicking off the three-day holiday weekend with the Chung Yeung Festival, many citizens are heading north -- either for tomb-sweeping rituals or for leisure. Travel surge at the Huanggang crossing with some holidaymakers wishing to try out the new port building.

This man says they cross the border every week via the Futian port but they want to give this new facility a try.

The fifth floor of the Hong Kong departure level has 60 self-service channels with "collaborative inspection" function with Immigration Department staff on site to assist. Among the 30 traditional manual counters, less than half are open, but there's no need to queue.

At the port's public transport interchange, the Transport Department and bus companies deployed extra manpower to monitor passenger and vehicle flow.

In anticipation of the travel rush, special traffic arrangements are in place.

Franchised bus frequencies will be ratcheted up to run every two to three minutes while green minibuses and cross-border buses will be increased to every three to four minutes.

At the San Tin Public Transport Interchange, the Transport Department has added a public transport directory with boarding and alighting locations rearranged. Tour buses will pick up and drop off passengers at the locations closest to the air-conditioned waiting area.

Speaking on a radio programme, Secretary for Security Chris Tang said during the first five days after the opening of the new Huanggang Port, more than 80,000 travellers crossed the border daily with about 92,000 crossings on Friday -- reflecting the new port has helped ease traffic among other border crossings.

More than 100,000 people are expected to use the border daily during the Chung Yeung Festival holiday.

The security chief said the number of travellers crossing the border late at night and vehicle clearances are similar to the tallies in previous years, noting that waiting times are generally less than 5 minutes and no more than 15 minutes.