Subsequent to the opening ceremony of the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line and the Futian Port officiated by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, and Secretary of CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Mr Li Hongzhong, and other officiating guests, the Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau (LMC) Spur Line was commissioned on 15 August 2007. The 7.4 km long LMC Spur Line is the second cross-boundary railway between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. It will help relieve the congestion at other land boundary crossings and cater for the increasing cross-boundary traffic demand.
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, arrived at the Lok Ma Chau Station by a special train which broke through the ribbon signifying the commissioning of the new railway.
Officiating guests (from left to right): Chairman of the Board of Directors, Shenzhen Metro Co Ltd, Ms Zhang Xiaoli; Chairman of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of CPPCC, Mr Li Decheng; Mayor of Shenzhen, Mr Xu Zongheng; Executive Vice-Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr Tang Bingquan; Secretary of the CPC Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Mr Li Hongzhong; the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang; Chairman of Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC), Mr Michael Tien; the Commissioner for Transport, Mr Wong Chi Kong; Acting Director of Highways, Mr Cheung Hing Wan; and Senior Director-Transport of KCRC, Mr Y T Li.
The Spur Line bifurcates from the existing East Rail Line from Sheung Shui and extends to a new boundary crossing at Lok Ma Chau. Passengers of the Spur Line alighting at the Lok Ma Chau Terminus can walk towards the Futian Port through a passenger bridge across the Shenzhen River and, after clearing immigration and custom control, take the Shenzhen Metro Line 4 at the Huangang Station at the basement of the Futian Port.
The boundary crossing in the Lok Ma Chau Terminus Building will be able to handle up to 150,000 passengers a day.
Passenger Bridge, across the Shenzhen River, linking up the Lok Ma Chau Terminus (on the left) to the Futian Port Building (on the right).
The Government of the HKSAR has kept close contact with the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government in taking forward the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Project. This is an excellent example of close co-operation of the two cities.
Following the commissioning of this new boundary crossing, passengers can now have one more choice in travelling to and from the Mainland. Also, apart from taking the East Rail Line to Lok Ma Chau, passengers can also have access to the boundary crossing by franchised bus, green minibus and taxi.