Cross-border road traffic between Hong Kong and mainland China took another step forward on 25 July when the Transport Department officially widened the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles (STGV) scheme. From today, private-car owners from Zhongshan, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou and Jiangmen can apply online for single-plate access to Hong Kong, joining the four Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities that have been eligible since last year. The daily urban quota has been doubled from 100 to 200, and demand was immediate: officials said close to 170 vehicles were expected to drive into the SAR on day one. Under the scheme, approved motorists complete immigration, customs and vehicle inspections at one of 28 authorised centres in Guangdong before entering Hong Kong via the Shenzhen Bay, Lok Ma Chau or Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge control points. No guarantee money or closed-road permits are required, but drivers must hold appropriate insurance and install an electronic vehicle identification tag that links to Hong Kong’s tolling system. Authorities said the extra quota would be reviewed in light of traffic flow, safety and environmental data collected over the next three months. The expansion is part of a broader plan to create a “one-hour living circle” within the GBA by 2028. Hong Kong’s Deputy Secretary for Transport & Logistics, Rosanna Law, told reporters that the SAR hopes to extend coverage to 21 mainland cities by the first quarter of 2027, while Guangdong officials are studying reciprocal measures for Hong Kong drivers heading north. Industry analysts say the latest move will give a timely boost to hotels, shopping malls and tourist attractions, many of which have rolled out parking-and-spending packages to lure self-drive visitors. For multinational companies with facilities on both sides of the border, the bigger quota should make same-day business trips easier and reduce reliance on cross-boundary coaches. Human-resources managers are advised to update corporate travel policies to cover mainland driver eligibility, insurance extensions and parking reimbursement. Employers should also remind staff that mainland vehicles must display a radiation-sensing tag and obey Hong Kong’s tighter speed limits and right-hand-traffic rules. Any contraventions are subject to SAR traffic laws and demerit points, which are enforceable on subsequent entries.
