ENG-1978 — Page 229

COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT

Aerial Ropeways

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The cable car system at Ocean Park, an oceanarium on Hong Kong Island, carried 1.53 million passengers during the year, a decrease of 25 per cent compared with 1977 when it began operating. In full operation the system can carry 5,000 passengers an hour in each direction in 246 cars, which are capable of seating six persons. The cable car traverses a 1.4-kilometre route during its seven-minute journey.

Ferries

Hong Kong has a total area of 1,052 square kilometres comprising a mainland area and 236 islands. As many of the islands are populated and some are popular holiday resorts, ferry services play an important role in providing both commuter and recreational transport.

Apart from the two major ferry operators, there are several minor ones. In addi- tion 'walla-wallas' (motor boats) are also available at the public piers on both sides of the harbour. In the New Territories there are supplementary services, known as 'kaitos', which are organised by villagers to meet local demand.

The two major ferry operators are the Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company Limited and the Star Ferry Company Limited. With a fleet of 83 vessels, the former provides a network of 39 ferry services consisting of three vehicular services, 14 cross-harbour passenger services and 22 services to outlying districts. The vehicular ferry services carry 9,637 vehicles a day at charges ranging from $1 (motor cycle), $3 (motor car) to $75 (heavy goods vehicles which exceed 11 metres in length). Daily passengers on the 14 cross-harbour services total 307,872. On all except three routes, passengers are carried at a flat fare of 40 cents. The three more expensive routes operate with deluxe class vessels and charge 50 cents or $1 depending on the quality of service offered.

The Star Ferry Company Limited has a fleet of 10 vessels which link Edinburgh Place on Hong Kong Island with Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom in Kowloon, Fares charged on the Edinburgh Place to Tsim Sha Tsui crossing are 30 cents on the upper deck and 20 cents on the lower deck. A flat fare of 50 cents is charged on the service to Hung Hom. The two services carry a total of 148,530 passengers a day with the former contributing 95 per cent of the total. Traffic growth has averaged one per cent over the past three years.

Taxis

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There are two types of taxis in Hong Kong. One is licensed to operate in the urban areas including all of Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the new towns of Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin; the other is for the rural areas of the New Territories. During the year, fares were fixed at $2 for the first 1.6 kilometres and 20 cents for each subsequent fifth or part of that distance. A surcharge of $10 was levied on cross-harbour journeys. By the end of the year there were 6,925 taxis serving the urban districts. The rural areas were served by a fleet of 738 taxis which charged a standard fare of $1 for each 1.6 kilometres.

Following a review of the taxi trade carried out by the Transport Department, the laws relating to taxi malpractices were strengthened and a revision of the fares structure was announced, to be implemented in 1979.