Huanggang Port Jam Sparks Calls for Traffic Control

Saturday late night saw long queues both at roads near the new Huanggang border crossing and also at Mongkok bus stops.

Cross-border bus operators said they increased capacity after the new port opened to cater for those returning to Shenzhen, but road congestion prevented buses from returning to urban areas

to pick up passengers on time.

On the second Saturday since the new Huanggang port opened, Halloween events and a large concert drew nearly 240,000 visitors to Hong Kong in a single day.

That was about 60,000 more than the previous Saturday.

Cross-border bus operators said they communicated with the government to boost capacity for the new port.

Some late-night routes were increased from 15-minute to five-minute intervals.

But long queues still formed at Mongkok bus stops with many waiting for buses to take them to the 24-hour crossing.

Hong Kong Non-franchised Public Bus Association Chairman Freeman Choi explained a massive number of cross-border private cars, alongside buses and taxis, caused severe road congestion last night.

This trapped vehicles and stopped them from returning to the city to pick up passengers.

He warned that without proper preparation, traffic during the upcoming New Year's Eve could be even worse.

He suggested adding a dedicated bus lane on roads leading to the new Huanggang port to avoid the jams.

The tourism sector pointed out that Huanggang was the only 24-hour border crossing to Shenzhen.

Cross-border private cars with permits for other ports switched to Huanggang overnight, worsening the jam.

Lawmaker Perry Yiu said the bottleneck formed because too many cars arrived at once, and drivers were unfamiliar with the roads.

He believed there was room to improve real-time border information so travelers could know the actual waiting times and queue lengths in advance.

He noted that upcoming events this weekend, like the Wine and Dine Festival and Halloween activities, could make traffic even heavier.

He urged authorities to hold a cross-departmental meeting to discuss solutions, adding the government could consider adding more 24-hour border crossings in the long run.