SOME participants at a hearing for the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link expressed the hope that authorities will introduce more flexible toll options for people traveling between Shenzhen and Zhongshan, the two cities situated on the east and west banks of the Pearl River.

The mega cross-sea link in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, which spans 24 kilometers, includes two bridges, two artificial islands, and a two-way eight-lane sea tunnel, and is scheduled to open this year.

The hearing, held in Guangzhou on Tuesday, gathered 24 participants to discuss two toll plans presented by the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission.

In Plan A, the toll for a one-way trip is set at 66 yuan (US$9.29) for passenger vehicles with up to seven seats, while those with eight to 19 seats would pay 100 yuan. Larger passenger vehicles with at least 20 seats would enjoy a 35% discount, reducing their toll to 86 yuan. Truck tolls range from 66 yuan to 270 yuan based on gross weight.

In Plan B, tolls for passenger vehicles with up to seven seats and eight to 19 seats remain the same as Plan A. However, passenger vehicles with 20-39 seats would face a toll of 132 yuan, and passenger buses with 40 or more seats would pay 106 yuan after a 20% discount. Truck tolls in Plan B range from 66 yuan to 255 yuan based on gross weight.

Plan A received more than half of the participants’ favor, citing its reasonable toll fees. Some participants proposed implementing differentiated fees, setting different fee standards based on factors such as vehicle types, time of passage, and frequency of passage. Vehicles traveling between the two cities with a certain frequency should be eligible for monthly or annual passes, they said.

Participants also proposed a dynamic fee adjustment mechanism based on actual vehicle flows after the link becomes operational. Additionally, there were suggestions for preferential policies to lower logistics costs for cargo vehicles and potential fee exemptions for intercity buses.

The toll plans presented by the commission were based on the annual average cost of the project over the 15-year fee collection period, earlier media reports said.

(Han Ximin)