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SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 1978
DROP IN FERRY COMMUTERS ******
THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS CARRIED ACROSS THE HARBOUR BY FERRIES LAST YEAR DROPPED BY MORE THAN 2.8 MILLION WHILE 'PASSENGERS USING THE OUTLYING DISTRICT FERRY SERVICES ROSE
LY 30E 1.2 MILLION COMPARED WITH 1976.
ACCORDING TO FIGURES RELEASED TODAY BY THE TRANSPORT „EPARTI ELT, A TOTAL OF 166.7 MILLION PASSENGERS USED THE 16 CROSS-HARBOUR FERRY SERVICES LAST YEAR. THIS REPRESENTED A DROP OF 1.7 PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH THE FIGURE OF 169.5
ILLIG I 1976.
I..
COMMENTING ON THE FIGURES, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID THE DECREASE IN FERRY PASSENGERS WAS MAINLY DUE TO THE COMPETING SERVICES CF THE CROSS-HARBOUR BUSES. BUT RE ADDED THE RATE OF DECLINE WAS CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN THAT I: 1976.
K THAT YEAR, 6.6 PER CENT OF 12 MILLION FEVER COMMUTERS „ERE CARRIED ACROSS HONG KONG HARBOUR COMPARED WITH 1975.
OF THE 166.7 MILLION PASSENGERS, 115.7 MILLION TRAVELLED CN VESSELS OF THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY WHILE THE RESAINDER WERE CARRIED BY THE +STAR+ FERRY COMPANY.
LAST YEAR, THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS USING THE YAUMATI FERRY CROSS-HARBOUR SERVICES DROPPED BY 3.1 MILLION COMPARED
ITH 1976.
+FARES ON H.Y.F.'3 CROSS-HARBOUR SERVICES „ERE RAISED FRCX 30 TO 40 CENTS IN JULY LAST YEAR, ZUT THE LOSS OF PASSENGERS AS A RESULT OF THIS INCREASE WAS SURPRISINGLY LOW,† THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
DURING THE YEAR OF REVIEW, 17.0 MILLION PEOPLE USED THE CUTLYING DISTRICT FERRY SERVICES, AN INCREASE OF 7.4 PER CENT CVER THE FIGURE OF 16.5 MILLION ÎN 1976.
THE SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT PASSENGER SERVICES TO CUTLYING DISTRICTS CONTINUED TO INCREASE LARGELY BECAUSE OF LEISURE TRAFFIC AND THE GROWING POPULARITY OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
+THE DEMAND FOR RECREATIONAL SERVICES SHOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN FUTURE .ITH REW LEGISLATION REQUIRING EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE LONGER PAID HOLIDAYS,+ HE ADDED.
THE TWO STAR FERRY SERVICES - FROM EDINBURGH PLACE TO TSI SHA TSU! AND TO HUNG HOP - CARRIED A TOTAL OF 50.96 MILLION COMMUTERS IN 1977, 3.5 PER CENT HORE THAN 1976, WITH THE EDINBURGH PLACE TO TS1: SHA TSUI SERVICE CONTRÍEUTING 26 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL.
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