Hong Kong carried out its first test of private car clearance procedures at the revamped Huanggang Port crossing with Shenzhen authorities on Saturday. No 2 official Eric Chan Kwok-ki reported that the drill ran smoothly, with passenger flows orderly and public transport picking up passengers quickly. A motorist association, however, noted traffic jams at the San Tin Interchange roundabout leading to the crossing.
Chan said a further stress test will be held next Saturday, described as a “large-scale cross-border drill”, to ensure smooth operations. The exercise will involve 20,000 people and will push the facility to its peak capacity.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung added that the next drill will increase pressure on capacity and feature a full test of 90 clearance channels within the building, as well as assess how private vehicles will use a new clearance machine. Tang highlighted that the exercise helped identify improvement measures, such as better bus lining and transport coordination.
Sources have said the checkpoint could open as early as next month, following these final preparations.
