Living in Hong Kong

Discovery Bay has been in the headlines quite frequently the past few days. One of them is the news that ferry rides from Discovery Bay to Central could cost up to 64%. This leaves residents a painful resolution to accept the proposed hike.

I am not sure how indebted are the operators of the Discovery Bay ferry are that they need to impose a steep hike in fares. This is unlike the proposed fare increase for Star Ferry which I inclined to support. If residents reject the new rates, operators told them there will be scaling down of service of one trip for a little over an hour. A single ride now costs HK$27, or HK$23.20 in 50-trip tickets.

The ferry is not the only means of transportation going out of Discovery Bay though. One can take a bus to Sunny Bay or Tung Chung and take the MTR ride through Tung Chung line. But this is a bit more troublesome for those who are used to the ferry ride.

I almost lived there if my former colleagues at PCCW insisted that we live there for its reasonably priced flats and relatively more tranquil environment despite paying the fares as indicated above. There is an estimated 16,000 people living in Discovery Bay.

Another ferry operator would probably be the best solution to this fare/frequency woes. But as the current player would argue, Discovery Bay Transportation Services Limited, ferry services had become less popular over the past few years. The operator said that despite a 29 per cent increase in population in the past eight years, the annual ridership of ferries had dropped from 6.43 million in 1999 to 4.71 million last year, a drop of 27 per cent.

The company said its ferry capacity was only 31 per cent filled during morning peak hours from 7am to 9am. Non-peak hour loading was 23 per cent while late at night, it was only 9 per cent, the company said. If that holds true, then inviting another operator is like inviting someone for bankruptcy in business for both ferry services.

It's difficult to fault anyone because I believe no one committed a mistake. However, residents and ferry operators should meet halfway to resolve the issue. After all, it's for the benefit of both parties. If ferry services cease to exist, residents will suffer. If no more passengers will ride the ferry because of its erratic schedule, the operator will be forced out of business (at least in this route).