The Hengqin Line of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) was officially opened on December 2 last year – and the government-owned LRT operator said yesterday that it saw a surge in ridership, reaching more than 230,000 passengers over the mainland’s eight-day Chinese New Year (CNY) Golden Week, from January 29 through February 4, but no separate figures were yet available on the number of trips made on the new Hengqin Line.
The government-appointed Taipa and Coloane Community Service Consultative Council held a regular closed-door meeting yesterday at the Islands District Public Services Centre in Seac Pai Van, during which officials from the LRT operator, Macau Light Rapid Transit Corporation Limited (MLM), as well as the Transport Bureau (DSAT) were invited to brief members of the council on the optimisation of the carrying capacity and public transport frequency at the Macau side of the Hengqin joint checkpoint to be able to handle the increase in passengers under the mainland’s new policies of “One-Week, One-Trip” and “Multiple-Entry” travel permits for Zhuhai and Hengqin residents, respectively. The remarks were made by the council’s deputy convener, Leong Chon Kit, and fellow member Wong Chon Kit at a post-meeting press briefing.
According to the briefing, the LRT operator reported a daily average of 25,300 passengers last month, a “significant” increase of more than 10,000 passengers compared to the number before the opening of the Seac Pai Van Line and Hengqin Line – the former of which came into operation on November 1 last year.
In an announcement released earlier this month, the LRT operator pointed out that last month’s average daily ridership of 25,300 is the second highest since the opening of the railway system in 2019.
LRT cards and Macau Pass are still the only electronic payment modes for LRT passengers to access the railway system’s gates directly – and in response to the growth in passengers, such as during the CNY Golden Week, Leong quoted the LRT officials as saying during yesterday meeting that it has increased the number of ticket counters and set up additional temporary counters to make it easier for passengers to purchase tickets and pass through the gates, and that, “basically, it would take only about 30 minutes to ease the peak crowds”. Leong also quoted the LRT officials as noting that the operator would study the feasibility of increasing more payment options, such as by introducing one-day, five-day and even monthly passes, or by accepting alternative e-payment methods at self-service ticket kiosks.
According to the press briefing, considering that the transport hub platform on the second floor of the Macau side of the Hengqin checkpoint was only fully opened to the public in November last year, the DSAT official briefed the council members on the transport facilities of the Macau side, noting that there were currently five day-bus routes and one night-bus route running directly to and from the Hengqin checkpoint, while in terms of the taxi service, the official said: “Taxi drivers will be notified based on the passenger flow at a specific location, allowing them to better assist and pick up passengers as needed”.
The press briefing noted that the DSAT official also responded to the concerns raised by several council members, including the adjustment to certain bus routes, the provision of shuttle buses for airport passengers during the hours the Light Rail Transit was not running, as well as arrangements for cross-border bus services, by saying that the relevant arrangements would be made “when necessary”.
A passenger walks towards the entrance to the LRT Seac Pai Van Line in Coloane yesterday. – Photo: Yuki Lei
