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Following is a question by the Hon Miriam Lau and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the Legislative Council meeting today (February 25):
Question:
It is learnt that as the road and railway networks have been improving gradually in recent years, and the outlying island ferry piers in Central have been moved to a more remote location, the number of passengers of outlying island ferry routes has continued to decrease. The ferry operators concerned are facing operating hardship caused by a persistent decrease in fare box revenue and a continuing increase in operating expenses. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective patronage of various outlying island ferry routes in the past five years;
(b) given that the existing and proposed connecting transport facilities and pedestrian linking facilities around the ferry piers in Central are quite far away from the outlying island ferry piers, whether the Government will extend these facilities to Central Pier No. 1 or introduce new measures, so as to assist the ferry operators concerned in alleviating the problem of the decline in patronage as a result of the ferry piers being remotely located;
(c) given that the authorities have proposed in the Urban Design Study for the New Central Harbourfront to include Central Piers No. 4 to 6 as part of the comprehensive development area, refurbish Pier No.7 and reconstruct Pier No. 8, why the Government has not considered the option of a comprehensive development of Central Piers No. 1 to 10 under the same concept; and
(d) apart from implementing the proposals in the Urban Design Study for the New Central Harbourfront (including the addition of a floor at Central Piers No. 4 to 6 for use by the ferry operators concerned for commercial or retail purposes), what new measures the Government has put in place to assist the ferry operators concerned in increasing non-fare box revenue, so as to subsidise their ferry operations for the sustainable development of the ferry services (e.g. whether it will enhance the revitalisation of the areas around the outlying island ferry piers in Central, and set up open air cafes or holiday art markets to make the areas a new landmark, so as to increase the pedestrian flows to the ferry piers)?
Reply:
President,
(a) The patronage of major outlying island routes in the past five years is at the Annex.
(b) The patronage of major outlying island routes was stable in the past five years with some routes recording growth.
At present, bus terminals, bus stops and green minibus stops are located within a walking distance of approximately 2-5 minutes from the Central Piers. Ferry passengers may use the pedestrian footbridge outside Central Piers No. 3 and 4 and that outside the new Star Ferry pier building at Central Pier No. 7 to connect to the Central pedestrian footbridge system.
The Urban Design Study for the New Central Harbourfront (the Study) being carried out by the Planning Department also proposes to enhance pedestrian connectivity to the pierside.
(c) In accordance with the approved Central District Outline Zoning Plan, Central Piers No. 4 to 6 and the adjacent area have been zoned as "Comprehensive Development Area" ("CDA"). Apart from proposing different design concepts for the key sites, the Study also examines the design of the Central Piers area as Pierside Corridor including a pier walk with boardwalks and seatings along the harbourfront, to enhance the vitality of and pedestrian flow along the pierside. Under this integrated design proposal, future uses of individual piers will also be proposed. For instance, alfresco dining, retail and other waterfront-related uses have been proposed for the "CDA" adjoining Central Piers No. 4 to 6.
(d) The Government understands the difficulties facing ferry operations and the need for the services by the residents of the outlying islands. To help reduce the operating costs of these outlying island ferry services, the Government has been implementing various measures including taking over pier maintenance responsibility, waiving fuel duty, reimbursing pier rentals and exempting vessel licence fees for ferry services under the Elderly Concessionary Fares Scheme, having obtained the Town Planning Board's approval to allow ferry operators to sub-let premises at piers for commercial and retail activities and streamlining the subletting approval procedures to help generate non-fare box revenue for cross-subsidising the ferry operation so as to alleviate pressure for fare increase.
The Government is also working on retrofitting Central Piers No. 4 and 6 with fire prevention facilities so that ferry operators can sublet pier premises for more diversified commercial and retail activities. The works will commence shortly and is expected to be completed by the end of 2009. The Government has also started planning for the construction of an additional floor at Central Piers No. 4 to 6. Ferry operators could use that floor for commercial or retail activities to generate more non-fare box revenue, so as to cross-subsidise the ferry operation.
Ends/Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:16
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