Affordability 'to factor in user-pays tolls review'
John Lee says the government will also look at implementing tolls for new trunk roads such as the upcoming Central Kowloon Route. Photo: RTHK
The SAR chief executive said on Tuesday the government will adopt the user-pays principle but take into consideration the issue of public affordability in its review of tunnel tolls.
John Lee said ahead of the weekly Executive Council meeting that review priority would be on those tunnels for which tolls have remained unchanged for years.
It would also look at new trunk roads and tunnels, such as the Central Kowloon Route that is expected to be completed by the end of the year in coming up with appropriate charges.
"There's a need to have charges for particularly major tunnels and trunk roads because there is a need for traffic management and charges will help in managing the traffic flow," he said.
"It will also help to ensure that public transport will be given priority in the use of roads ... and there will be a maximum efficiency as a result of good traffic management."
Lee pointed to the large amounts of money spent on constructing and managing tunnels and trunk roads for their toll on public coffers.
With the government having taken over Tai Lam Tunnel on Saturday, HKeToll has now been implemented at all government-owned tunnels.
The electronic toll collection system, Lee said, allows the adoption of time-varying toll system that enhances traffic enforcement.
The plan to review tolls was first unveiled by the financial secretary in his budget blueprint in February.
The government hopes the review on tunnel fees, along with the fixed penalties for traffic-related offences and various fees will increase its revenue by HK$2 billion annually.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
3 minutes ago
- RTHK
US-EU trade deal lifts local stocks
US-EU trade deal lifts local stocks Stocks rose after a trade agreement between the United States and the European Union lifted sentiment. File photo: RTHK The Hang Seng Index gained 70 points, or 0.28 percent, to open at 25,458 points on Monday. Across the border, the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.57 percent to 3,594 while the Shenzhen Component Index was up 0.02 percent at 11,176. Stocks rose after a trade agreement between the United States and the European Union lifted sentiment and provided clarity in a pivotal week headlined by the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan policy meetings. Countries are looking to finalise trade deals ahead of an August 1 deadline, with talks between the US and China set for Monday in Stockholm. (Agencies)
RTHK
3 hours ago
- RTHK
North Korea has 'no interest' in Seoul overtures
North Korea has 'no interest' in Seoul overtures Kim Yo Jong says North Korea is "not interested" in any proposal from Seoul, and there is "nothing to discuss." File photo: AFP North Korea has no interest in any policy or proposals for reconciliation from South Korea, the powerful sister of its leader Kim Jong Un said on Monday in the first response to South Korean liberal President Lee Jae Myung's peace overtures. Kim Yo Jong, who is a senior North Korean ruling party official and is believed to speak for the country's leader, said Lee's pledge of commitment to South Korea-US security alliance shows he is no different from his hostile predecessor. "If South Korea expects to reverse all the consequences of (its actions) with a few sentimental words, there could be no greater miscalculation than that," Kim said in comments carried by official KCNA news agency. Lee, who took office on June 4 after winning a snap election, called after the removal of hardline conservative Yoon Suk Yeol over a failed attempt at martial law, has vowed to improve ties with Pyongyang that had reached the worst level in years. In one measure aimed at easing tensions, Lee suspended loudspeaker broadcasts blasting anti-North propaganda across the border and banned the flying of leaflets by activists that had angered Pyongyang. Kim, the North Korean official, said those moves are merely a reversal of ill-intentioned activities by South Korea that should never have been initiated in the first place. "In other words, it's not even something worth our assessment," she said. "We again make clear the official position that whatever policy is established in Seoul or proposal is made, we are not interested, and we will not be sitting down with South Korea and there is nothing to discuss." (Reuters)
RTHK
19 hours ago
- RTHK
CE gathers views for his Policy Address in Hung Hom
CE gathers views for his Policy Address in Hung Hom Chief Executive John Lee was attending a meeting in Hung Hom to gather views for his upcoming policy blueprint. Photo courtesy of the Chief Executive's Policy Unit Shoring up support for Hong Kong's ethnic minority population and boosting the fertility rate were among a number of appeals to Chief Executive John Lee as he attended a meeting in Hung Hom on Sunday to gather views for his upcoming policy blueprint. Dozens among the more than 100 people attending put forward their suggestions and concerns in the two-hour televised forum, including a kindergarten teacher representing ethnic minorities who called for better learning and career opportunities for the population. "How would the government help ethnic minority families and their next generation for them to have a fairer and more equal learning environment, while providing them with appropriate support both inside and outside of school?" she asked. In response, the city's leader said his administration is working to build a more inclusive community. "I understand very well that we need to provide support for them in many aspects, such as language, especially Cantonese and learning Chinese. Every year, the Education Bureau has a number of subsidies and measures [on that front]," Lee said. "There are also care teams dedicated to ethnic minorities to better understand their culture and background." Some other issues covered focused on addressing the city's low birth rate and assisting young people. The Chief Executive said the government had rolled out a number of measures to encourage childbirth, such as a HK$20,000 handout and tax reduction. Lee was also urged to roll out support measures for the elderly, provide resources to the arts, and provide more funding for the development of innovation and technology. "When formulating policies, the government has to take care of things on both the macro and micro levels. On the macro level, we need to make the pie bigger. When the pie is bigger, everyone benefits from it. It's equally important to ensure each person has a larger share of the pie," he said. Lee will hold another town hall meeting next week, before delivering his fourth annual Policy Address in September.
