There will be an important meeting to discuss the proposed changes to the Lamma Island ferry service and possibly draft a proposal to the Department of Transportation that expresses our needs for service to Central, Pak Kok, and Aberdeen.

THIS AFFECTS EVERYONE WHO USES THE FERRIES!

While nothing has been finalized, suggestions have been made that fares may increase by 50%, service to Aberdeen will be severely cut or eliminated, service to Central will be reduced, and fast ferries will be eliminated.

Please attend this important meeting to decide what we want and how we can best take action.

Monday, March 3, 7:30 p.m. at the Deli Lamma

Thanks for this Important info, Nancy!

I'll put it onto the home page right away, where a lot more people will see it, hopefully making this a very well-attended meeting. Who's coordinating and recording ideas and feedback?

A good preparation would be to read the ferry retender forum:
http://www.lamma.com.hk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4962

Also, could someboy who attended Sat's Transport Dept. meeting give us an update, so people have more facts instead of rumours going into the meeting, please? Anyone?

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Nancy

I will not be able to attend the meeting, but thanks for the arrangement. It is important to collect everyone’s opinion. I wish to point out some facts:

The re-tendering only affects the Yung Shue Wan and Sok Kwu Wan services (and also mui wo and peng chaw routes), YSW /Pakok/ Aberdeen route is not affected.

In the earlier tender started last yr, TD request the new operator to add late night ferries on weekends and additional early morning ferry from YSW This earlier tender result in the tenderee to propose a fare increase of 35-50%, this increase prompts TD to pull off a re-tender.

Now TD is suggesting in order to keep cost down, allow the YSW and SKW routes to be tendered separately allowing smaller operators to bid, and they may use only slow ferries and decrease the frequency during non-peak.

Pls see this TD / legco document

http://www.legco.gov.hk/yr07-08/english ... 18-1-e.pdf

Personally I had written twice to the TD and Transport Panel of Legco twice pointing out that

They had not properly consulted residents with this drastic change (in the retendering terms).

The increase in fares for the past years already exceed any transport operators in HK, it is unfair for Lamma residents to bear another huge increase in fares.

Any reduction in service (frequency and eliminating fast ferry) is unacceptable, our service is already just ‘basic’. If service is run by smaller and slower ferries, the capacity during emergency situation (e.g. typhoon) will be greatly reduced and residents may well be left stranded in Central.

Govt should ensure that the top floors of the Central piers is renovated and the new operator can rent out to subsidise running cost. Almost all other forms of public transport have substantial non-fare income (advertising, rent etc). The premise have been left empty for years, as a result we suffered price increase, we should not bear the loss of the ferry company due to this anymore.

If the fare should need to be increased excessively (above inflation etc) the Govt should subsidise residents. (point out the MTRC case where Govt puts in money / land for MTRC which is a form of subsidy)

This is just my personal opinion, but I hope will help generate some useful discussions.

The new re-tendering documents should be released pretty soon (beginning of March, which really is now) and they expect the tender results will be announced April. Time is tight.

I have also started a facebook group, where you may see some opinions there and you can also post the results of the discussions there:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10042377387

Gisela, thanks for this information and clarification. I will keep your comments and suggestions in mind at the meeting.

This meeting is actually being coordinated by Dan at the Island Bar. I am just trying to help get the word out; at this point, I know very little about the issue. Some people organized a meeting on Saturday afternoon about the retendering, but many of us couldn't attend. The meeting tonight will present another opportunity.