Legislators fear the fare of the proposed cable-car project in Tung Chung will be too high to attract enough users.
It is estimated the fare will be similar to the bus fare for a similar route, about $50-$55 return.
A study conducted by the Mass Transit Railway Corporation recommended the cable car should start at Tung Chung town centre, travel via an intermediate station on the south shore of the airport island and end at Ngong Ping, site of the Po Lin Monastery and Big Buddha.
A franchise will be granted for the financing, design, construction and operation of the system, including the right to charge for riding the cable car over the franchise period.
Miriam Lau Kin-yee, of the Liberal Party, representing the transport sector, feared the fare would be excessive in order to meet the operators' return on their investment. Democrat Cheung Man-kwong said an expensive fare would deter tourists and locals.
But Commissioner for Tourism Rebecca Lai Ko Wing-yee believed the fare would not be too high. At the economic services panel, Mrs Lai said: 'We don't have a suggestion on the fare, but the MTR feasibility study found that the charge could be close to the public-holiday bus fare from Mui Wo to the Po Lin Monastery.'
