The Pearl River Delta’s mammoth bridge inaugurated by President Xi Jinping on Tuesday had a “smooth” start yesterday, Macau’s transport chief said.
On the first day of the operation of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) – which started at 9 a.m. yesterday – until 7 p.m. yesterday, 12,243 arrivals and departures were recorded at the Macau border checkpoint of the bridge, 10,258 between Macau and Hong Kong and 1,697 between Macau and Zhuhai, while the remaining 288 travelled to and from Hong Kong via vehicular lanes at the checkpoint, according to the Public Security Police (PSP).
The 288 people who travelled to and from Hong Kong via the checkpoint’s vehicular lanes drove Macau-registered cars to and from Hong Kong and Hong Kong-registered cars to and from Macau. Only cars which have been granted special permits, based on a regular quota initiative for cross-border cars from the two cities, can travel between the two special administrative regions via the delta bridge, which is open 24/7.
Accompanied by three senior law enforcement officers, Transport Bureau (DSAT) Director Kelvin Lam Hin San (front) speaks to reporters at the Macau border inspection building of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) yesterday during a media trip organised by the Macau government. Photos: Iong Tat Choi
A bus travelling between the HZMB Macau border checkpoint and the Hong Kong border checkpoint – the delta bridge’s first bus ride from Hong Kong – arrives at the HZMB Macau Border Checkpoint Administrative Zone yesterday morning.
Passengers buy tickets for the bus trip to the HZMB Hong Kong border checkpoint from a counter at the Macau border inspection building yesterday.
