Hong Kong’s Transport Department (TD) has taken to its official Weibo account to brief mainland drivers who will soon enter the city under the rapidly-expanding “粤车南下” (Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles) scheme. From 25 July, the daily quota for Guangdong-registered private cars allowed to drive into Hong Kong via the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge (HZMB) will double from 100 to 200. With thousands of new motorists about to experience Hong Kong’s roads for the first time, TD published a six-point reminder on 19 July covering speed limits, lane discipline, parking restrictions and passenger safety. The post stresses that the default urban speed limit in Hong Kong is 50 km/h unless otherwise sign-posted, and that the left-most lane on expressways is the “slow lane” with overtaking permitted only on the right. It also underlines Hong Kong’s strict red-light rules (no turns on red) and the prohibition on stopping along double-yellow lines at any time. Because Guangdong vehicles are left-hand-drive, TD urges passengers alighting on the kerb-side (right) door to check for approaching traffic. For corporate mobility managers the advisory offers practical insight: drivers unfamiliar with Hong Kong’s left-side traffic risk fines, licence points or accidents that can invalidate insurance. Employers sending cross-border staff should budget extra travel time, arrange English/Cantonese GPS units and ensure e-toll accounts are pre-funded. Logistics firms will also need to track quota availability as demand spikes once the quota doubles. The reminders come as the Greater Bay Area continues to integrate. The Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles scheme—Hong Kong cars going into Guangdong—has already processed more than 700,000 trips since its 2023 launch, and Beijing announced this month that its validity is being extended to 2031. The reciprocal southbound programme is expected to accelerate visitor flows, retail spending and cross-border talent exchange once fully rolled out to all nine Pearl River Delta cities.
Source: RTHK
