XN000022-1985-08-06 — Page 8

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1985

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VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICE WITHDRAWAL APPROVED

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THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TODAY (TUESDAY) ENDORSED AN APPLICATION BY THE HONGKONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY (HYF) TO WITHDRAW ITS VEHICULAR SERVICE BETWEEN NORTH POINT AND KWUN TONG.

IT ALSO DIRECTED THAT THE SERVICE SHOULD STOP ONLY AFTER THE COMPLETION OF DOUBLE RAMPS AT THE SAI WAN HO FERRY PIER LATER THIS YEAR. THIS WAS IN LINE WITH A RECOMMENDATION MADE BY THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE IN JUNE.

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THE DOUBLE RAMPING FACILITIES WOULD HELP BOOST THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN SAI WAN HO AND KWUN TONG, A SERVICE SIMILAR TO THE NORTH POINT-KWUN TONG ROUTE BUT WITH A SHORTER DISTANCE.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT WITH THE OPENING OF THE EXTENSION OF THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR TO SHAU KEI WAN LAST MONTH, TRAFFIC COULD BE EASILY DIVERTED FROM THE NORTH POINT TO THE SAI WAN HO SERVICE.

THERE HAD BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL DROP IN PATRONAGE ON THE NORTH POINT-KWUN TONG VEHICULAR FERRY ROUTE SINCE 1982. THIS SERVICE HAD ALSO BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SAI WAN HO TO KWUN TONG SERVICE.

THE TWO FERRIES WITHDRAWN FROM THE NORTH POINT-KWUN TONG SERVICE WOULD BE REDEPLOYED TO IMPROVE THE OTHER TWO VEHICULAR ROUTES IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE HARBOUR, HE EXPLAINED.

WITH THE ADDITIONAL VESSELS, THE FREQUENCY OF THE NORTH POINT TO KOWLOON CITY VEHICULAR FERRY SERVICE WOULD BE IMPROVED FROM 20 TO 12 MINUTES WHILE THAT OF THE SAI WAN HO TO KWUN TONG SERVICE FROM 18 TO 10 MINUTES.

THE TOTAL CARRYING CAPACITY OF THESE TWO SERVICES AFTER THE BOOST WOULD IN EFFECT BE GREATER THAN THAT OF THE THREE SERVICES COMBINED BEFORE THE WITHDRAWAL.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE EASTERN AND KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARDS HAD BEEN CONSULTED ON THE SERVICE WITHDRAWAL AND BOTH CONSIDERED IT ACCEPTABLE.

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