DAB lawmaker Lau Kwok-fan on Monday praised the smooth operation of the extended border control points during the Lunar New Year, saying it could be used as a reference for future service extensions.

Special arrangements have been made to extend service hours at the Shenzhen Bay and Lo Wu crossing points during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, Lau said that with the extended service hours, travellers didn't have to rush to cross the border.

He noted that more travellers tend to use the railway border at the Lo Wu checkpoint rather than the round-the-clock Shenzhen Bay crossing. However, he still described the overall operation as a "good start."

“Overall I think the operation was smooth and orderly. I think it's a good start and a good try.” he said.

“After obtaining experience and data, this arrangement could be used as a reference for future service extensions.”

He said the authorities could consider extending services during other major holidays, such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and National Day.

Lau said he believes if border crossing arrangements were made more convenient, travellers might choose to stay in Hong Kong longer even if they were not staying overnight.