THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1979
FERRY SERVICES BETWEEN CENTRAL DISTRICT
AND EASTERN TIP OF HK ISLAND
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A NEW FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN TAIKOO SHING AND CENTRAL DISTRICT IS EXPECTED TO START OPERATING SOME TIME NEXT YEAR AND THIS WOULD NOT PREJUDICE THE CONSIDERATION FOR INTRODUCING A FERRY SERVICE FROM CHAI WAN.
A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF OPERATING A FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN CHAI WAN AND CENTRAL DISTRICT WAS BEING EXPLORED BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON WATERBORNE TRANSPORT.
HE SAID THAT REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT AND CHAI WAN KAIFONG WELFARE ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATION LAST MONTH WENT TO LOOK AT POSSIBLE SITES IN THE AREA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A FERRY PIER.
HE REITERATED THAT SUCH A PLAN WAS STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION.
THE SPOKESMAN ALSO NOTED THAT THE EXISTING SAI WAN HO FERRY PIER, WHICH WAS BUILT FOR TWO FERRY SERVICES IN 1973, WAS NOW BEING UTILISED BY FOUR FERRY ROUTES.
+ IN ORDER TO RELIEVE CONGESTION AT THE PIER, THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR A SUITABLE SITE FOR A SECOND FERRY TERMINAL IN THE AREA,+ HE SAID.
A SUITABLE SITE AT TAIKOO SHING HAS NOW BEEN IDENTIFIED FOR DEVELOPMENT AS A PASSENGER FERRY TERMINAL BY PROVIDING A PONTOON AGAINST THE EXISTING SEAWALL. THIS TERMINAL WILL BE CAPABLE OF RECEIVING LARGER VESSELS THAN THE EXISTING PIER AT SAI WAN HO, IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE FERRY SERVICES FROM THE NEW PIER AT TAIKOO SHING WOULD BEGIN TO OPERATE IN THE COMING YEAR,
THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT TAIKOO SHING HAD A LOT OF COMMUTERS GOING TO CENTRAL DISTRICT. THE ESTATE WAS CLOSE TO THE WATERFRONT AND COASTAL FERRY SERVICES WERE WELL ESTABLISHED IN THE AREA. *FOR THESE REASONS, IT IS FELT THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF A FERRY SERVICE WILL BE ATTRACTIVE,+ HE SAID.
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