XN000022-1976-11-28 — Page 5

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1976

HUNG HOM TO CENTRAL FERRY SERVICE EXTENDED

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THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR. I.F.C. MACPHERSON, HAS AUTHORISED THE EXTENSION OF THE STAR FERRY COMPANY'S HUNG HOM TO CENTRAL SERVICE FOR A FURTHER YEAR FROM DECEMBER 1 THIS YEAR.

THE SERVICE HAS BEEN IN OPERATION ON A TRIAL BASIS FOR ONE YEAR NOW, BUT A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT THIS PERIOD HAD PROVED TOO SHORT TO BASE A DECISION ON THE FUTURE OF THE SERVICE.

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THE STAR FERRY RESUMED THE HUNG HOM TO CENTRAL SERVICE ON NOVEMBER 30, 1975 FOR AN INITIAL TRIAL PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS AT THE END OF WHICH A FURTHER SIX-MONTH TRIAL PERIOD WAS GRANTED BECAUSE IT WAS FELT THAT THE SERVICE NEEDED MORE TIME TO SETTLE DOWN IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH A STABLE LEVEL OF DEMAND.

AT PRESENT, AN AVERAGE OF 4,545 PASSENGERS ARE USING THE

SERVICE DAILY.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT A FULL REVIEW OF THE SERVICE WOULD

BE CARRIED OUT EARLY NEXT YEAR AND IF THE SERVICE PROVED FINANCIALLY UNVIABLE, IT WOULD THEN BE STOPPED AT THE END OF THE ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR TRIAL PERIOD.