Hong Kong to boost Huanggang Port capacity after Halloween, concert congestion

Hong Kong’s No 2 official has pledged to open extra clearance counters and vehicle lanes at the recently revamped Huanggang Port control point ahead of peak hours, after Halloween crowds and concertgoers created heavy cross-border congestion.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki, who inspected the Shenzhen Bay and Huanggang ports on Sunday, said he had instructed the Security Bureau to step up advance assessments and passenger flow forecasting.

He added that he had directed the Transport and Logistics Bureau to work with bus and rail operators to keep sufficient vehicles and manpower in reserve for flexible deployment based on demand.

“Major events bring energy to Hong Kong while reshaping cross-border travel patterns. I urge travellers to plan ahead and stagger their trips, and to consider staying overnight after the events to experience the city’s culture and festive vibe at leisure,” he said in a social media post.

The Tourism Board’s inaugural “Hong Kong Halloween Month” brought thousands to Central’s streets, including Lan Kwai Fong, triggering congestion at Huanggang Port from Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday.

Canadian singer The Weeknd’s concerts at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium added to the influx. The shows were held on Saturday and Sunday, with further dates on October 30 and 31.

The revamped crossing, which opened this month, is the city’s only crossing to mainland China offering 24-hour passenger clearance.

Online video clips showed mainland tourists queuing late into the night for express coaches to cross the border from Mong Kok, while the San Tin Highway towards Huanggang Port was gridlocked with cars, taxis and buses.

Lawmaker Mark Chong Ho-fung, a member of the Legislative Council’s transport panel, told the South China Morning Post that this year’s Halloween events across several districts plus the Kai Tak concerts had scattered visitors to areas without coach services, with many turning to unlicensed cross-border cars, causing congestion.

“Police should crack down on these illegal cross-border hired cars,” he said. “The government should also designate dedicated roads for buses and coaches, which carry far more passengers than private cars.”

He also called for clearer signage inside the building to keep private cars and public transport on separate lanes, with officers deployed before drivers went the wrong way.

The government said the Security Bureau had set up a forward command post at Huanggang Port before the weekend, coordinating responses with the disciplined services and the Transport Department in real time.

In the two hours from midnight Saturday to 2am Sunday, 14,760 travellers crossed north, 212 per cent more than usual.

In the same period, 1,200 vehicles crossed north at the checkpoint. Police opened a buffer zone, with waits peaking at 45 to 50 minutes, but by 2am, vehicles were moving smoothly again.

The government noted that the Transport Department had directed bus operators to run more frequent services, although some passengers faced longer waits as coaches took longer to turn around.

Extra staff and buses will be deployed at Kai Tak Sports Park on Sunday night to speed up boarding.