ENG-2014 — Page 268

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Transport

priority implementation. Technical feasibility studies for the works have been largely completed. The detailed design works for those items confirmed to be technically feasible and supported by the District Councils are under way.

Maritime transport

Domestic Ferries

Ferries provide essential transport links to outlying islands where no land transport alternatives are available. They also provide an alternative transport service to and from the inner harbour and other areas in Hong Kong.

At year-end there were 13 franchised and licensed ferry operators running 20 regular passenger ferry services, two dangerous goods vehicular ferry services and two special services for the harbour and for trips to the new towns and outlying islands. These were supplemented by 70 'kaito' ferry services, which provide services to relatively remote parts of Hong Kong. Ferries recorded a daily average of about 68,200 passenger trips within the harbour and about 67,200 passenger trips to and from the outlying islands.

Cross-Boundary Ferries

Cross-boundary ferry services to Macao and some 12 Mainland ports are provided by six operators at the Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan and the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui.

In 2014, 21.5 million travellers used cross-boundary ferry services to travel to and from Macao, while the number travelling to and from Mainland ports was 4.94 million.

Local Vessels

In 2014, about 17,748 local vessels (including passenger, cargo, fishing and pleasure vessels) were licensed in Hong Kong to provide a variety of services for the port and the community.

Public Transport Fare Concessions

The government encourages public transport operators to provide fare concession schemes, taking into account their respective operating and financial conditions, market situation and passenger needs.

The MTRCL offers various concessions to passengers, including Monthly Passes for East Rail, West Rail and Tung Chung Lines, a Student Travel Scheme, fare concessions for children, Fare Savers discounts, and interchange discounts.

Franchised bus companies offer concessionary half fares for children under 12. Section fares are available for about 80 per cent of mid-distance and long-distance routes (ie about 440 routes) in Hong Kong and the bus companies also provide about 305 Bus-Bus Interchange concession schemes, covering about 400 bus routes or about 72 per cent of all routes. The tramway and

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