Private cars allowed HK to Guangdong

Hong Kong (CNS) – Hong Kong residents will be allowed to drive their private cars to Guangdong Province through Shenzhen Bay Port, according to Phase One of the Ad Hoc Quota Trial Scheme for Cross-boundary Private Cars that the Hong Kong Transport Department launched on February 13.

From March 30 onwards, car owners in Hong Kong may submit applications to take road trips for a maximum of seven-days stay in Guangdong province.

The admittance quota in the first phase of the pilot scheme is 50 cars per day, adhering to the principle of first come, first served, announced departmental commissioner Li Yide on February 13. The earliest of the private tours will fall on April 27, he added.

Private drivers heading to Hong Kong from the mainland are an option under consideration for the second phase of the scheme, but no concrete timetable has yet been established. "We will take full account of the impact on traffic and road safety," said Li, specifying that "people driving their personal vehicles over from the mainland must have third-party insurance in Hong Kong."

So called 'self-service driving' across Hong Kong and Guangdong Province is based on a framework agreement signed by both governments in February.