ENG-1962 — Page 292

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PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Ferries. The 'Star' Ferry Co Ltd runs a passenger ferry service across the narrowest part of the harbour between the commercial centre of Victoria city on Hong Kong Island and the southern tip of the Kowloon peninsula. There are eight vessels in operation and a ninth will go into service early in 1963. There is a daily service of 21 hours and during peak periods a ferry leaves from each side of the harbour every three minutes on the seven minute journey. The service continues until 3 a.m. During 1962 there were 162,213 crossings and nearly 47 million passengers were carried. The highest daily total was 182,561. The company's vessels steamed 129,770 miles.

The Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Co Ltd operates a fleet of 57 diesel engined ferries on six cross-harbour services and seven services to outlying areas. The routes inside the harbour are between Wilmer Street, Jubilee Street, Stewart Road and Tonnochy Road on Hong Kong Island, and Sham Shui Po, Mong Kok, Jordan Road and Kowloon City on Kowloon peninsula. The com- pany also operates a combined vehicle and passenger service across the harbour between Jubilee Street and Jordan Road from 6.20 a.m. to 2 a.m. This service is supplemented by a temporary ferry service for vehicles only between Rumsey Street and Jordan Road.

During 1962 a record of 112,600,000 passengers and 2,470,000 vehicles were carried, an increase of 9.3 per cent and 23.6 per cent respectively over the previous year. The company's services to out- lying districts call at Castle Peak, Tung Chung and Tai O; Silver Mine Bay, Peng Chau and Cheung Chau; and Lamma Island. There is also a service from Tai Po Kau to Tap Mun in Tolo Harbour. The ferry service to Lamma Island started on 17th May and provides a regular link between Hong Kong Island and one of the nearest but comparatively least developed islands in the Colony. During the year the company ran a popular excursion trip round Hong Kong Island leaving twice weekly from Jubilee Street ferry pier. Tourists in particular were able to benefit from this service. The journey takes approximately three hours and the fare is only $2.50 (equivalent to 3s 2d sterling or 45 cents US).

Two new vessels were built for the company during the year. These were the Man Ting and the Man Bong. The vessels have a length of 120 feet and a breadth of 42 feet and each is capable of carrying 530 passengers and 25 lorries or 45 cars. They are