XN000022-1977-07-08 — Page 4

FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1977

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NORTH POINT AND MUI WO TO HAVE NEW FERRY PIERS

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THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS TO BUILD TWO NEW FERRY PIERS ONE AT NORTH POINT AND THE OTHER AT MUI WO, LANTAU ISLAND.

TENDERS ARE INVITED TODAY (FRIDAY) FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A SECOND PASSENGER FERRY PIER AT NORTH POINT, TO BE SITED ABOUT 100 METRES TO THE WEST OF THE EXISTING PASSENGER FERRY PIER.

MR. H.R.A. CHAMBERLAIN, CHIEF ENGINEER OF P.W.D.'S PORT WORKS DIVISION, SAID THAT THE NEW PIER, WHEN COMPLETED IN THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR, WOULD SUPPLEMENT THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE EXISTING TWO-BERTH PIER.

+EVENTUALLY, THE NEW PIER WILL CATER FOR ALL THE FERRY SERVICES AT PRESENT USING THE EXISTING PIER WHICH WILL BE RENDERED INOPERATIVE BY 1980 BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HONG KONG ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR, HE SAID.

+ IF THERE IS STILL A NEED FOR TWO FERRY PIERS IN 1980, + MR. CHAMBERLAIN ADDED, THE EXISTING PIER WILL BE MODIFIED AND EXTENDED.+

THE NEW PIER AT MUI WO, FOR WHICH TENDERS WILL SOON BE INVITED, AIMS TO COPE WITH THE INCREASING NUMBER OF VISITORS TO LANTAU ISLAND.

MR. KENNETH KWOK, GOVERNMENT ENGINEER (NEW TERRITORIES), SAID: +FACILITIES AT THE EXISTING ONE-BERTH FERRY TERMINAL, WHICH IS THE MAIN GATEWAY TO LANTAU ISLAND, ARE INADEQUATE TO COPE WITH THE PEAK SUMMER TRAFFIC OF 30,000 PASSENGERS A DAY.+

THE NEW PIER HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO CATER FOR THE LARGEST FERRIES AND WILL BE 78 METRES LONG WITH TWO DECKS AND BERTHS ON BOTH SIDES.

A DOLPHIN AND MOVABLE RAMP WILL ALSO BE CONSTRUCTED ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE PIER TO ALLOW FOR THE BERTHING OF VEHICULAR FERRIES.

WORK ON THE FERRY PIER IS EXPECTED TO COMMENCE IN SEPTEMBER, AND WILL TAKE ABOUT 18 MONTHS TO COMPLETE.

MR. KWOK POINTED OUT THAT THE NEW PIER WAS ONE OF THE PROJECTS PLANNED IN THE $30 MILLION DEVELOPMENT OF MUI WO.

WORK WILL BEGIN SOON ON THE FIRST CONTRACT IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, THE FORMATION OF LAND FOR A PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE FOR 1,200 PEOPLE AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BUS TERMINUS.

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