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SCMP Reporter

Fares may increase as the Star Ferry continues to battle losses in the wake of the relocation of its namesake pier last November, the company's chief said yesterday.

The rise is only set to affect  fares on the journey from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui.

Speaking at a ceremony to promote safety on trams, Frankie Yick Chi-ming, managing director of the Star Ferry Company and Hong Kong Tramways, said the ferry company was under pressure to raise the ticket price.

'The Central-Tsim Sha Tsui route has already lost 18 per cent of its passengers, which caused a 13 per cent decrease in the company's income.'

The company says that from January 1 to April 30, it lost HK$2 million on the route.

However, the company has not yet submitted an application to the government to increase the fare.

Mr Yick said the company was co-operating with non-governmental organisations to arrange activities around the new Star Ferry Pier area, hoping this would boost passenger numbers.

The Star Ferry pier in Central used to be near Edinburgh Place. The government moved operations to a new pier, which is a 10-minute walk from the old one. Since November 12 last year, the ferries servicing the route between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui have been berthed at the new Central Pier Number 7.

Concerning the tram accident in North Point on June 3, in which a tram jumped the tracks injuring five people, Mr Yick said the company had already sent a report to the police for investigation.

The accident was thought to have been caused by driver negligence.

Mr Yick also said that around 30 to 40 trams had been equipped with handrails on the upper deck, and that the back gates had been changed to automatic doors  to improve safety.

'We hope all the trams will provide passengers with handrails on the upper deck by the end of this year,'  he said.

Harbour cruise

The  fare for an adult to ride on the upper deck of the Star Ferry from Central to Tsim Sha Tsui (in HK dollars) $2.20



Star Ferry fare from Central to TST set to rise, says operator