WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1982
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YAUMATI FERRY FARE INCREASE APPROVED
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS CONFIRMED THAT IT HAS APPROVED AN
APPLICATION BY THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY TO INCREASE FARES ON CERTAIN ROUTES.
THE FARES INCREASE DOES NOT APPLY TO EIGHT PASSENGER SERVICES AND TO VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICES. THE PASSENGER SERVICES ARE: HONG KONG-TSUEN WAN, TSUEN WAN-TSING YI, CENTRAL-TAIKOO SHING, TAIKOO SHING-KOWLOON CITY, NORTH POINT-TSUEN WAN, TUEN MUN-CENTRAL, CHAI WAN-CENTRAL, AND CHAI WAN-KWUN TONG.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE INCREASES, TO BE EFFECTIVE FROM NEXT MONTH, WILL GENERALLY BE FROM 20 TO 25 PER CENT.
FOR THE MOST PART, THE INCREASE FOR ADULTS ON CROSS HARBOUR PASSENGER FERRY SERVICES WILL BE BY 20 CENTS TO $1 AND BY 10 CENTS TO 50 CENTS FOR CHILDREN.
FOR OUTLYING DISTRICT SERVICES, THE INCREASES FOR ADULTS WILL RANGE FROM 20 CENTS FOR THE LOWEST EXISTING FARE OF $1.30, TO $1.50 FOR THE HIGHEST EXISTING FARE OF $6.50.
HOVERFERRY FARES WILL NOT BE AFFECTED EXCEPT FOR OUTLYING DISTRICT SERVICES, AS IN THE CASE OF DELUXE CLASS FARES, THE
INCREASE WILL BE BY $2 TO $8.
ON THE HONG KONG-PENG CHAU ROUTE, THE INCREASE ON WEEKDAYS FOR ADULTS WILL BE FROM $1.50 AT PRESENT TO $2 FROM AUGUST 1, AND TO $2.50 FROM FEBRUARY 1 NEXT YEAR.
MORE CONVENIENT DIRECT SAILINGS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED ON THIS ROUTE SINCE JUNE AND THE NEW FARES ARE IN LINE WITH OTHER OUTLYING ISLAND SERVICES ON A JOURNEY DISTANCE BASIS.
HOWEVER, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE ISLANDS DISTRICT BOARD, THE INCREASE FOR THIS SERVICE IS BEING INTRODUCED IN TWO STAGES, THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED.
IN APPROVING THIS INCREASE IN FARES, THE GOVERNMENT NOTED THAT THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY'S FARES HAVE BEEN HELD AT LOW LEVELS FOR MANY YEARS. IN THE LIGHT OF THE COSTS OF MAINTAINING A LARGE FLEET WHICH OPERATES A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF FERRY SERVICES, THE COMPANY'S PROFITS HAVE BEEN, AND EVEN AFTER THIS INCREASE REMAIN, REASONABLE.
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