Traffic at the Eastern Harbour Crossing was generally smooth on Sunday after it switched to HKeToll, Hong Kong's electronic road toll system.

The Transport Department had closed the tunnel to traffic between 4am and 5am to facilitate the transition.

The tunnel has since reopened, and officials said the number of lanes near the former toll booths heading towards Hong Kong Island and Kowloon was reduced to four and three respectively after the toll system came into effect there.

With both the Cross-Harbour Tunnel in Hung Hom and the Western Harbour Crossing in Western already operating HKeToll for a number of weeks, officials were familiar with the switch-over.

In the case of the Eastern Harbour Crossing, the department closed off access roads and diverted several night bus routes.

The move means motorists will no longer have to stop at booths, the tunnel's toll being deducted automatically by a registered electronic tag. Those without a tag will be sent a bill.

Next in line for HKeToll are the Tate's Cairn Tunnel and the Aberdeen Tunnel later this year.
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Last updated: 2023-08-27 HKT 10:48