MONDAY, MARCH 26, 1984
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IMPROVED BUS SERVICES FOR SAI WAN HO RESIDENTS
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BUSES WILL BE RUNNING MORE FREQUENTLY BETWEEN SAI WAN HO AND CENTRAL, WHEN THE HONGKONG AND YAUMATI FERRY SERVICES OPERATING BETWEEN THE TWO DISTRICTS ARE WITHDRAWN FROM SUNDAY (APRIL 1).
THE PEAK-HOUR FREQUENCY OF CMB ROUTE 21 BETWEEN TAIKOO SHING AND CENTRAL WILL BE INCREASED FROM THE EXISTING 10-MINUTE INTERVALS TO SEVEN MINUTES.
ROUTE 21 IS ONE OF SEVEN BUS SERVICES OPERATING BETWEEN THE TWO DISTRICTS. OTHER FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, SUCH AS PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES AND TRAMS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO TALKOO SHING RESIDENTS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT EXPLAINED THAT OPERATION OF THE TAIKOO SHING TO CENTRAL FERRY SERVICE HAD BEEN RENDERED HIGHLY UNECONOMICAL BY A CONTINUAL DECLINE IN PASSENGERS.
+CANCELLATION OF THE FERRY SERVICE IS CONSIDERED A
JUSTIFIABLE ECONOMY MEASURE AIMED AT TRIMMING COSTS AND MAINTAINING THE VIABILITY OF THE HYF FERRY NETWORK AS A WHOLE, HE SAID.
THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS CARRIED ON THE FERRY SERVICE HAS DROPPED FROM A PEAK OF 4619 A DAY IN SEPTEMBER 1982, TO LESS THAN 300 A DAY IN FEBRUARY 1984.
THE FERRY ROUTE EXPERIENCED A 30 PER CENT PATRONAGE REDUCTION IN DECEMBER 1982 FOLLOWING THE RELOCATION OF TRAM TRACKS NORTHWARDS IN THE KING'S ROAD PUBLIC TRANSPORT PRIORITY SCHEME, WHICH SHORTENED BUS JOURNEY TIMES ALONG KING'S ROAD AND REDUCED THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE FERRY ALTERNATIVE.
FERRY PATRONAGE FURTHER DECREASED AFTER OCTOBER 1983 WHEN THE ROUTE WAS OPERATED FROM THE NEW PERMANENT PIER ON THE RECLAMATION SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE ORIGINAL TAIKOO SHING PIER.
THE SERVICE, SHOULD IT CONTINUE TO OPERATE, IS EXPECTED TO SUFFER FURTHER PASSENGER LOSSES WHEN THE SECTION OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR BETWEEN CAUSEWAY BAY AND TAIKOO SHING OPENS IN JUNE THIS YEAR.
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