The Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang shuttle bus service has been augmented with the addition of two new buses to cope with the expected surge in passenger demand during the Chung Yeung Festival, Commissioner for Transport Robert Footman says.

After visiting the San Tin Public Transport Interchange today, Mr Footman said the new buses will help increase passenger capacity from 1,860 people to 2,112 per hour.

A bus gate has been set up allowing buses to leave the interchange directly.

"This shortens the journey time and improves the circulation of both the shuttle and franchised buses within the public transport interchange," Mr Footman said.

As waiting time for the service may be longer during peak periods, he appealed to passengers to remain patient when queuing up.

They will be advised to use other cross-boundary transport such as the KCR when the passenger queue at the public transport interchange exceeds a certain limit.

The department will stop all feeder buses and green minibuses to the area if it gets overcrowded.

For enquiries on the queuing situation for the shuttle bus service, please call the New HK Bus Company enquiry hotline at 2471 0792.