ENG-1961 — Page 282

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PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

During 1961 a record number of 102 million passengers and 1,997,000 vehicles were carried, an increase of 4 million passengers and 290,000 vehicles over the previous year. Traffic carried on the ferry services to outlying districts continued to show an increase. During the summer months large numbers of holiday- makers travelled to the beaches at Cheung Chau and Silver Mine Bay. The Tai O service was well supported by pilgrims for the monasteries and nunneries on Lantau Island. During the year, large numbers of hikers left Hong Kong by ferry for Tai O to climb to the Ngong Ping Plateau where the 'Precious Lotus Monastery' is situated and then descend to Silver Mine Bay to return by ferry to Hong Kong. The Tolo Harbour Ferry service was again operated at a loss for the benefit of isolated villages in the district. The ferry service between Hong Kong and Tsuen Wan via Tsing Yi Island carried over 1.2 million passengers.

The Company ran an extremely popular round Hong Kong Island excursion trip leaving twice weekly from Jubilee Street Ferry Pier. Tourists in particular were able to benefit from this service.

New construction during the year consisted of four new vehicular ferry vessels of 42′ breadth × 170′ length capable of carrying 25 lorries or 45 cars. These vehicular ferries were built by the Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock Co Ltd and are equipped with Voith Schneider propulsion. This is the first time that this type of propulsion has been used in Hong Kong. Throughout the year the three slipways at the Company's depôt in Tai Kok Tsui were fully engaged in servicing the fleet.

In early 1961 the Company's workmen's quarters consisting of 354 individual units were completed, housing a total of 2,074 persons.

PUBLIC ROAD TRANSPORT SERVICES

Government continued to implement its intentions of improving bus services, controlling more effectively public cars and hire cars and introducing a New Territories' taxi service, and this resulted in a much improved public transport service. The number of buses in use by the two major bus companies has increased. Additional routes were introduced and services on existing routes were stepped up.