With the approval of the State Council, new crossing arrangements at the three boundary checkpoints between Macao and Zhuhai will come into effect from 18 December 2014. This was announced at a press conference on 20 November held by the Office of the Government Spokesperson, Mr Tam Chon Weng, who gave details of the new arrangements. From midnight (00:00) of 18 December 2014, the three crossings between Macao and Zhuhai, namely the Border Gate Checkpoint, the Lotus Flower Bridge Checkpoint between Cotai and Hengqin, and the Zhuhai-Macao Crossborder Industrial Zone Border Checkpoint, will start implementing the new opening hours; The Border Gate will open one hour earlier at 6 am and extend closing time by one hour later, to close at 1 am daily, while the opening hours for cargo inspection channels remain unchanged. The Lotus Flower Bridge Checkpoint between Cotai and Hengqin will implement 24-hour services for the convenience of travellers and passenger vehicles, including Macao residents, non-local workers, students and visitors from the mainland, and passenger vehicles of all sizes with both Macao and mainland licence plates. The current arrangement for goods vehicles at this checkpoint remain unchanged, open from 8 am to 8 pm daily. The Zhuhai-Macao Crossborder Industrial Zone Checkpoint will open for pedestrian traffic only, from midnight to 7 am on a temporary basis for the convenience of non-local workers, students and Macao residents. No vehicular traffic is allowed at this checkpoint. Mr Tam told reporters the extension of opening hours and 24-hour operation of checkpoints between Macao and Zhuhai is approved by the Central People's Government for the benefit and convenience of the people, which is something Macao had been looking forward to for years. The new crossing arrangements will facilitate connection and exchanges between the people of Macao and the mainland, realising the Central Government's support of Macao's economic development, livelihood improvement, stability and prosperity. Mr Tam thanked the Central Government and other authorities, including the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, the National Office of Port Administration, the General Administration of Customs, the Ministry of Public Security, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the People's Government of Guangdong Province, and the People's Government of Zhuhai Municipality, for their full support. To support the implementation of the new opening hours, various Macao Government departments will ensure supporting facilities and services. To facilitate inspection, the arrival and departure hall of the Zhuhai-Macao Crossborder Industrial Zone Checkpoint will be equipped with new software and signage, and 18 identity inspection channels, including 10 self-served channels (to be increased to 12 later), and the six existing counters staffed with immigration officers. The arrival and departure hall of the checkpoint between Cotai and Hengqin is currently equipped with 40 staffed identity inspection counters and 31 self-served channels. The checkpoint will deploy more immigration officers and provide more self-served channels to cope with the 24-hour operation. The Border Gate will also increase manpower and adjust staff deployment to facilitate extension of operating hours. After the new arrangements comes into effect, the frequency and service hours of the 19 bus routes connecting Border Gate will be adjusted. Security officers and terminus supervisors will be stationed to ensure proper order, on-time departures and passenger flow. The bus route connecting the Lotus Flower Bridge will provide a 24-hour service, while the existing routes passing through the area (including N3) will enter the checkpoint building for the convenience of passengers. The operating hours of some day and overnight bus routes will also be extended. A new overnight bus route N4 will be added to serve the passengers to and from the Zhuhai-Macao Crossborder Industrial Zone Checkpoint, passing through Ilha Verde and Bacia Norte Do Patane, for the convenience of passengers to transfer at Bacia Norte Do Patane to other overnight buses to various destinations. Meanwhile, the operating hours of bus route 27 connecting Ilha Verde and Border Gate will be extended to serve people at the Industrial Zone. The Transport Bureau will also take measures to optimise the peripheral traffic flow of the checkpoints. Due to the temporary opening of the Zhuhai-Macao Crossborder Industrial Zone Checkpoint from midnight to 7 am daily, the Public Security Police will strengthen control in Ilha Verde by increasing the frequency of patrols and logbook signings, to ensure public order of the district. The Traffic Department of the Public Security Police will keep close contact with the Transport Bureau, conduct more frequent patrols, and strictly enforce the traffic, for the safety and smooth flow of traffic in the district. Officials who attended the press conference the Director of the Transport Bureau, Mr Wong Wan; and Deputy Commissioner of the Public Security Police, Mr Mui San Meng.
