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difficult to handle the vehicular ferry boats at certain states
of the tide, especially when a north easterly wind is blowing.
The ferry company are alive to all this and the remedy they
propose is the provision of another pier for the vehicular
service adjoining each of the present ones. On the other hand,
it has been suggested that it would be better if the new pier
were placed in another position at karsh Road, Wanchai,
for a service to run from there to a pier to be constructed
at Gillies Avenue, Hung rom. This would have the effect of dissipating the traffic. The ferry company prefer their own
proposal as they state the other idea would make the service
more costly to run seeing that it would involve more ferry
boats.
Taking everything into consideration, I am of
opinion that it would be more advantageous in the public
interest if a new pier for the vehicular ferry service were
provided at Marsh Road, together with one on the opposite side
of the Harbour at Gillies Avenue, (both of which sites are
less exposed to westerly winds) notwithstanding any extra cost
of operating the services. The proposed piers are shown on
the attached plan,
It has been pointed out to me that objection to a
second pier adjoining the present one at Jubilee Street has
been made by the owners of Douglas Pier, on the ground that
the berthing of their ships would be rendered more difficult.
Whatever may be the merits of this complaint, the difficulty would not arise if the suggested position at Marsh Road were adopted for the ferry pier. The difficulty of the Douglas
Company in any case would be disposed of if the development
recommended in paragraph 88 were carried out.
The proposed pier opposite Narsh Road would
incidentally have the effect of affording some protection to