The Transport Department approved fare increases ranging up to nearly 15 per cent on the daytime ferry services between Discovery Bay and Central, and a rise of almost 70 per cent on the overnight services.
From May 1, residents of the Lantau community will have to pay a HK$13 surcharge on ferry services from midnight, which will be imposed on top of a new average fare of HK$26.20 on the 50-trip ticket, which now costs only HK$23.20 per trip.
A single trip ticket is also increased from HK$27 to HK$31.
A spokeswoman said the department approved the overnight surcharge because the cost was very high given the low patronage.
Residents are angry about the changes but a protest planned for tomorrow has been called off.
Discovery Bay Transportation Services, which has just had its licence renewed for the ferry service, had proposed replacing the overnight sailings with coaches but faced strong opposition from the residents. A spokesman for the Discovery Bay developer and owner of the transport company, HKR International, said the surcharge, the idea for which had actually come from residents, allowed maintenance of the service with no reduction in frequency.
'Sometimes the overnight ferry has only three or four passengers per trip,' he said. 'It is only fair for them to pay extra so the majority who don't need the service do not have to subsidise them.'
