XN000022-1981-11-18 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1981

FERRY SERVICES VITAL, SAYS TRANSPORT CHIEF

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FERRY SERVICES WERE BEING EXPANDED JUST ABOUT AS FAST AS NEW FERRY BOATS COULD BE OBTAINED, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR A.T. ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THIS SITUATION WAS IN SHARP CONTRAST TO A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN DOUBTS WERE BEING EXPRESSED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF FERRY SERVICES, HE SAID.

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE HONG KONG AND

YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY'S TEMPORARY PIER AT CHAI WAN,

MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT POINTED OUT THAT THE COMPANY STILL RETAINED A LARGE SLICE OF ITS CROSS-HARBOUR MARKET, AND HAD EXPANDED ITS SERVICES TO OUTLYING DISTRICTS AND INTRODUCED NEW SERVICES TO DEVELOPMENT AREAS.

THIS WAS DESPITE THE OPENING OF THE CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL AND THE MTR WHICH HE SAID WERE SEEN BY MANY PEOPLE AS THE END OF CROSS-HARBOUR FERRY SERVICES.

+EVEN THE VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICES SURVIVED THE OBVIOUS WIDE APPEAL OF THE TUNNEL AND, IN FACT, MORE VEHICULAR FERRIES ARE SEEN BY CONSULTANTS AS ONE OF THE FEW SHORT-TERM OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO EASE THE GROWING DEMAND FOR CROSS-HARBOUR TRAFFIC.

+ IN MY VIEW, EVEN WITH MORE MTR LINES AND AN IMPROVED ROAD NETWORK, FERRY SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A VALUABLE ALTERNATIVE TO LAND TRANSPORT, MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID.

HE ADDED THAT THE TREND TOWARDS FASTER FERRIES WAS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN MEETING PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS OF MORE CONVENIENT SERVICES. IN THIS RESPECT, HE CITED THE EXCELLENT HOVER FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN TUEN MUN AND CENTRAL WHICH TAKES ONLY ABOUT HALF AN HOUR, AS AGAINST ONE-AND-HALF TO TWO HOURS BY ROAD.

+FOR THE SAME REASON, WE CAN EXPECT THE FAST SERVICE BETWEEN CHAI WAN AND CENTRAL BEING INTRODUCED TODAY TO BE JUST AS POPULAR. ALSO, LIKE THE TAI KOO SHING SERVICE, IT SHOULD HELP RELIEVE CONGESTIÓN ALONG KING'S ROAD,+ MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT SAID.

THE CHAI WAN TO KWUN TONG SERVICE, ALSO BEING INTRODUCED TODAY, WILL PROVIDE THE MOST DIRECT LINK FOR WORKERS TRAVELLING BETWEEN THESE TWO IMPORTANT INDUSTRIAL AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS, HE STATED.

MR ARMSTRONG-WRIGHT ALSO PRAISED THE HKYFC FOR ITS FORESIGHT IN INTRODUCING COMPARATIVELY CHEAP +HIGH SPEED SERVICES INTO HONG KONG WATERS AND THE COMPANY'S DETERMINATION TO MEET THE FUTURE DEMANDS OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC.