XN000022-1987-04-27 — Page 17

MONDAY, APRIL 27, 1987

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KWUN TONG FERRY SERVICE TO BE WITHDRAWN

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THE PASSENGER FERRY SERVICE BETWEEN CENTRAL AND KWUN TONG OPERATED BY THE HONGKONG AND YAUMATI FERRY COMPANY (HYF) WILL BE WITHDRAWN FROM MONDAY (MAY 4), A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (MONDAY).

HE SAID THAT FROM THE SAME DAY EXTRA CROSS-HARBOUR BUSES WILL BE PUT INTO SERVICE, AND MTR FREQUENCIES BETWEEN THE TWO POINTS WILL BE INCREASED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE FERRY SERVICE WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND ENDORESED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IN VIEW OF THE CONTINUOUS DECLINE IN PATRONAGE AND THE OVERALL IMPROVEMENT OF OTHER CROSS-HARBOUR PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES, INCLUDING THE MTR AND CROSS-HARBOUR TUNNEL BUSES,

THE FERRY SERVICE HAS BEEN OPERATING ONLY DURING THE MORNING AND EVENING PEAK HOURS FROM MONDAYS TO FRIDAYS AND DURING THE MORNING HEAK HOURS ON SATURDAYS.

THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE SERVICE IS PART OF THE RATIONALISATION OF THE CROSS-HARBOUR FERRY SERVICES OF THE HYF, AIMED AT BRINGING

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE COMPANY'S SERVICES ESPECIALLY TO OUTLYING DISTRICT ROUTES.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT COMMTTEE OF THE KWUN TONG DISTRICT BOARD HAS BEEN CONSULTED ON THE CANCELLATION OF THE FERRY ROUTE AND ON THE COMPENSATORY TRANSPORT SERVICES.

HE SAID KMB AND CMB HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PASSENGER DEMAND IN KWUN TONG AND CENTRAL AND TO DEPLOY ADDITIONAL BUSES ON THE EXISTING CROSS-HARBOUR BUS ROUTE 101 FROM KWUN TONG TO KENNEDY TOWN IF NECESSARY.

HE EMPHASISED THAT FROM THE SAME DAY, MTR SERVICES WILL OPERATE AT A TWO-MINUTE FREQUENCY FROM 8 AM-HALF-AN-HOUR EARLIER THAN AT PRESENT TO COPE WITH THE ANTICIPATED PASSESNGER DEMAND.

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THE IMPROVEMENT TO MTR SERVICES AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF ADDITIONAL BUS SERVICES WILL MEET THE DEMAND OF THE ABOUT 600 PASSENGERS AFFECTED BY THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE FERRY SERVICE.

MEANWHILE, NEGOTIATION WITH THE TWO BUS COMPANIES FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW CROSS-HARBOUR BUS SERVICE BETWEEN KWUN TONG AND CENTRAL VIA THE AIRPORT TUNNEL IS PROGRESSING, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

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