Hong Kong's top transport official said here Saturday that the future toll for the Hong Kong- Zhuhai-Macao Bridge will be set at a level sufficient to repay bank loans and support daily maintenance costs.

On a radio program on Saturday, Secretary for Transport and Housing of Hong Kong Eva Cheng said the three jurisdictions will set up a joint work committee to decide on the toll, which she hoped can be as low as possible to promote traffic flows and regional exchanges.

She noted the three governments aim to start advance work as soon as possible, adding that the financing of the project by the governments was "a wise decision" as the earlier proposed build- operate-transfer mode would be hard to realize under the current economic situation.

Cheng expected the bridge to generate huge economic benefits and create 11,000 jobs for the construction of Hong Kong's control point and link roads.

Upon completion, Hong Kong will be directly connected with the western delta region, benefiting the local aviation and container industries, Cheng said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 30, 2008)