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Wednesday, July 4, 1973

OUTLYING FERRY PIERS ADEQUATE FOR PEAK DEMANDS

***

A careful watch is being kept to see if facilities at passenger

forry piers on all outlying island routes need to be improved.

The Financial Secretary, the Hon. C.P. Haddon-Cave said this at

the Legislative Council today in reply to a question from the Hon. H.M.G.

Forsgate who asked whether the government would take steps to improve and

modernise the berthing and loading facilities at the piers,

He said that on Lamma Island, for example, attention is being paid

to see whether and when a second pier will be required.

Mr. Haddon-Cave pointed out that with the exception of Cheung Chau,

Tai ◊ and Tung Chung, the piers on all outlying routes operated by the Hong

Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company are at present adequate for peak demand at

weekends and public holidays.

For Cheung Chau, there is a plan to improve the pior to allow the

easy berthing of triple-decker ferries-

However, he said little can be done to improve the situation at

Tai O and Tung Chung where shallow water and continual silting restrict the

piers to small vessels only.

What is being done is to actively encourage holiday-makers to go,

instead, to Silvermine Bay where large ferries can berth and load.

In particular, he said the Yaumati Ferry Company has recently been

allowed to transport up to eight coaches to Lantau on Sundays and public holidays.

With pre-purchased tickets, passengers alighting at Silvermine Bay can proceed

to Cheung Sha

"Much of the

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