Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Chan Mei-po, announced at the Legislative Council on the 30th that the Central Kowloon Route (Kowloon Bay section) will open to traffic on December 6. At that time, it will connect eastward to the Blue Tunnel and westward to the Central Kowloon Route (Yau Ma Tei section), linking the entire Route 6. Once the whole route is open, all vehicles will be charged a uniform tunnel fee of HK$8 throughout the day, collected via the Easy Pass system. I welcome the fact that the project is progressing on schedule.

From the perspective of traffic logic, the full-line opening this time has three significances:

First, the actual time cost substantially decreases. Traveling between Tseung Kwan O Town Centre and Yau Ma Tei during peak hours will be greatly reduced from about 65 minutes before construction to about 12 minutes, saving approximately 53 minutes, which is a fundamental improvement for residents commuting across districts daily. The Yau Ma Tei section, which opened in December last year, sees about 70,000 vehicle trips daily, diverting roughly 20% and 10% of eastbound and westbound traffic on Lung Cheung Road and Gascoigne Road flyovers during morning peak hours, confirming the significant benefits of traffic diversion.

Second, the road network structure is more complete. Route 6 is the third major trunk road traversing Kowloon. After the T2 trunk road and Cha Kwo Ling Tunnel are opened to traffic, they can effectively divert existing road pressure and improve accessibility from Tseung Kwan O to the West Kowloon Cultural District, West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station, Kai Tak Development Area, and Kowloon East commercial and business district.

Third, there is room to adjust bus services. After the opening, 20 franchised bus routes will use Route 6. I will strive to have buses in the district rerouted via the new trunk route, while also promoting increased frequency and full-day operation of Airport Bus A28X. The Highways Department also plans to convert the temporary shaft in Yau Ma Tei into a public car park, providing about 140 private car parking spaces and 10 motorcycle spaces, equipped with an automatic parking system, which will have a positive effect on alleviating parking demand.

Regarding the 8 yuan charge, I initially think it is a practical balance. Compared to the saved 53 minutes of travel time, 8 yuan is a reasonable level, ensuring the continued effectiveness of traffic diversion. I expect the authorities to conduct comprehensive testing of the system, public transport, and road support before the opening, to ensure smooth operation, and to continue studying whether there is room to adjust the toll level after the opening runs smoothly.

Finally, after the full opening of Route 6, traffic will inevitably increase. I urge the Transport Department and the Highways Department to simultaneously improve traffic signage and strengthen law enforcement before and after the opening to ensure orderly traffic flow. In summary, the full completion of Route 6 is an important milestone in Hong Kong's transport network and represents a historic opportunity for Tseung Kwan O and the Sai Kung District. Cheung Mei-hung will continue to monitor its usage, continuously follow up on improvements to road signs and bus route reorganizations, and ensure that infrastructure accommodates more public transport such as full-day bus services, so that the benefits truly reach the residents.

(Cheung Mei-hung, Sai Kung District Councillor, Vice-Chairman of the Sai Kung District Transport and Traffic Committee)