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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
Hong Kong High Level Tramway. With a lower terminus situated at the lower portion of Garden Road and a Peak terminus at Victoria Gap, this means of transport has provided, almost without interruption for over sixty years, a reliable funicular service. Until motor roads were opened in 1924, it was the only means of transport to the Peak. The cars are operated by a modern electric haulage plant and incorporate safety features which make it possible for a car to come to a halt within eight feet on the steepest part of the track. Passengers are carried to and from the Peak at the rate of approximately 1,000 an hour.
Towards the end of the year the Public Works Department co- operated with the Company in constructing a temporary diversion bridge over Kennedy Road so that, without interruption to the tramway service, the existing stone bridge could be re-built to provide additional head-room and road-width for motorists.
Bus Services. On Hong Kong Island bus services are maintained by the China Motor Bus Company, Ltd. which operates a fleet of 237 diesel-engined buses and two sightseeing coaches, all of United Kingdom manufacture. During 1958 the Company's vehicles covered some 9,200,000 miles and carried over 79,000,000 pas- sengers, both figures exceeding those for any previous year. Thirty five new underfloor-engined buses were licensed, whilst a number of vehicles due for replacement were withdrawn from service.
The Company moved into its new headquarters and mainte- nance block at North Point during the latter part of the year and also acquired at public auction a further site of 20,000 square feet for garaging its expanding fleet.
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During 1958 the Kowloon Motor Bus Co., (1933) Ltd. operated twenty eight bus routes in Kowloon and ten bus routes in the New Territories. In October, two new bus routes were opened for service in Kowloon.
A number of old buses were scrapped during the year and replaced by a similar number of new buses. The number of passengers carried was 289,000,000 and the mileage of the Com- pany's fleet of buses was 23,500,000.
Ferries. The 'Star' Ferry Co., Ltd., operates a passenger ferry service across the narrowest part of the harbour, a distance of approximately one mile, from a point in the centre of Victoria to