The logistics and tourism industries hailed the consensus over the funding of the construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, but a green group has reservation over its impact on the environment.

Paul Kan, chairman of Hong Kong Logistics Association Ltd said building the bridge would have great advantages for the logistics industry.

The bridge will diversify transport routes and shorten much transportation time, he said.

In the past, most people chose to cross the border through Lo Wu which made the passageway in the north rather congested, he pointed out.

Upon completion of the bridge, there will be new roads to Zhongshan and Zhuhai and the transport time from Hong Kong to Zhuhai will be reduced from two and a half hours to less than an hour, he said.

He also added that building the bridge will make Zhuhai a logistics base for Hong Kong companies with the ample resources that Zhuhai offers, like land and labor.

Expressing his happiness over the consensus over the financing of the bridge, Leung Kong-yui, president of Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport said the arrangement is important for the overall economic development of Hong Kong.

Stanley Chiang Chi-wai of the Lok Ma Chau China-Hong Kong Freight Association said building the bridge will greatly help the long-term economic benefit of Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao.

He said the bridge would make transport to and from Macao more convenient.

He, however, expressed concern over the financing plan, which might put a heavy financial burden on the citizens.

A spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Tourism Board said the bridge could increase mobility of people from Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao and also encourage overseas visitors to stop by more than one city in the Pearl River Delta (PRD). The board will also step up promotion of multi-destination tour packages to overseas markets, the spokeswoman added.

Travel Industry Council chief executive Joseph Tung said the bridge will facilitate transport and help tourism development in the PRD.

However, World Wild Fund senior conservation officer Alan Leung expressed concern over the bridge saying that it will pose hazards for Chinese white dolphins' habitat around Lantau Island.

(HK Edition 02/29/2008 page1)