XN000022-1980-03-29 — Page 2

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SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 1980

REVISION OF HYF FERRY SERVICES

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS GIVEN ITS APPROVAL TO THE HONG KONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY TO INTRODUCE A NUMBER OF ECONOMY MEASURES INCLUDING THE CURTAILMENT OF SOME LIGHTLY PATRONISED LATE NIGHT SAILINGS TO BEAT ESCALATING FUEL AND OPERATING COSTS.

STARTING TOMORROW (SUNDAY), THE TIMETABLES FOR THE HONG KONG TO TSUEN WAN AND TSUEN WAN TO TSING YI FERRY SERVICES WILL BE SLIGHTLY REVISED,

THE TSUEN WAN TO TSING YI SERVICE WILL STOP AT 10 PM INSTEAD OF 12.15AM WHILST THE BASIC OPERATING FREQUENCY OF THE HONG KONG TO TSUEN WAN SERVICE WILL BE REDUCED FROM 25 MINUTES INTERVALS TO 30 MINUTES.

THE HONG KONG TO TAI O SERVICE WILL OPERATE FOUR SAILINGS INSTEAD OF SIX A DAY FROM APRIL 1. THE 6.20 AM SAILING FROM TAI O TO HONG KONG AND THE 9.10 AM SAILING FROM HONG KONG TO TAI O WILL BE WITHDRAWN, BUT THE 3.50 PM SAILING FROM HONG KONG TO TAI O WILL MAKE AN ADDITIONAL CALL AT CASTLE PEAK BAY.

IT IS CONSIDERED THAT THIS REVISED TIMETABLE WILL CAUSE LITTLE INCONVENIENCE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AS THE TWO CANCELLED SAILINGS HAVE SELDOM CARRIED MORE THAN 50 PASSENGERS A TIME.

DESPITE THE REDUCTION IN SERVICES IT WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE FOR RESIDENTS IN NORTHERN LANTAU TO TRAVEL TO TUEN MUN AND RETURN BY FERRIES ON THE SAME DAY,

A 550-SEATER DOUBLE-DECK VESSEL WILL BE RELEASED FROM THE HONG KONG TO TAI O SERVICE IN THE MORNING AND BE DEPLOYED TO AUGMENT THE MORNING PEAK CARRYING CAPACITY ON THE SHAU KEI WAN TO SAM KA TSUEN SERVICE.

IN TURN THIS WILL RELEASE A 260-SEATER WATER BUS WHICH WILL THEN BE USED ON THE SHAU KEI WAN TO KOWLOON CITY SERVICE TO REPLACE THE MUCH SMALLER WATER TAXI USED AT PRESENT.

A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THESE TIMETABLE REVISIONS AND THE REDEPLOYMENT OF VESSELS WERE APPROVED AFTER CAREFUL EVALUATION OF THE USE MADE OF THE SERVICES AGAINST RISING OPERATING COSTS.

HE SAID THAT AS A RESULT OF THESE CHANGES MORE EFFICIENT USE COULD BE MADE OF THE FERRY FLEET.

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