'Do more to ease traffic on Shenzhen-Zhongshan link'
Transport sector representatives have called on mainland officials to do more to smooth out traffic on the new Shenzhen-Zhongshan link, after commuters experienced much longer journey times than expected amid heavy congestion on its opening day on Sunday.   The new mega-project - which comprises two bridges, two artificial islands, and a tunnel – was supposed to cut the travel time between the two cities to 30 minutes from two hours.  But many people, including visitors from Hong Kong who took an inaugural trip over the link on Sunday, were stuck in a gridlock for hours.   One of them, lawmaker Gary Zhang, said it took him six hours to get from Kwun Tong to Zhongshan.  "Some vehicles stopped on the bridge and people were taking photos. There should have been four lanes available, but when the problem was at its peak, there were only two," he told an RTHK radio programme. "The traffic capacity was reduced by half, leading to traffic congestion. Transport departments and officers could have done better." Speaking on the same programme, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, Timothy Chui, pointed out that it took him about five hours to reach Shenzhen from Zhongshan on Sunday.  He said he believes mainland authorities will handle the issue by, for example, banning commuters from taking photos on bridges. "I will keep an eye on the situation for one or two more weeks. I will also see what happens this coming Saturday and Sunday," he said. "I will make decisions on tour group arrangements depending on the traffic situation, especially for those heading to the west side of the Pearl River Delta. I think we'll have to keep things flexible and people on tours should be aware of this." Coach operator Eternal East Bus, meanwhile, said it anticipates a 30 percent jump in passenger numbers with the opening of the new link, and will increase the frequency of buses to Zhongshan accordingly.