North Point-Kwun Tong ferries sailing into the sunset
Ferry services between North Point and Kwun Tong will cease after the current franchise expires at the end of next March, it was announced yesterday.
The Transport Department broke the news several hours after the deadline for submission of bids for licences to operate the various new town and inner-harbour ferry routes expired.
There had been no bids entered for the eastern Victoria Harbour route.
'Patronage of the North Point-Kwun Tong ferry route is low and there are convenient road and rail transport alternatives,' a spokesman for the Transport Department said.
'Therefore, discontinuation of the services should not have any significant impact on passengers and road traffic.' Meanwhile, six companies have entered eight bids in total for the remaining four packages of ferry services, the present franchises for which will expire at the end of March next year to be replaced by a three-year licence service.
The main battle will be on the package of services for Hunghom, Wan Chai and Central, which current operators, Hongkong & Yaumati Ferry (HYF) and Star Ferry will compete for with third bidder Discovery Bay Transportation Services.
