Throw out plan for whopping ferry fare rise in Discovery Bay

I note, with interest, that the MTR is set to raise fares by 3 per cent starting in June. The increase has been dictated by the fact that there is a new formula that takes into account affordability for the public. Apparently, the change in the household median monthly income is around that figure.

This admirable decision has not been replicated here in Discovery Bay. Readers will no doubt be astonished to learn that the management has proposed to increase the ferry fares by a whopping 60 per cent. Adult residents who have a Discovery Bay-registered Octopus card will, if the Transport Department approves the proposal, pay HK$53.60 instead of HK$33.50, an amount already considered too much by many, and non-residents who wish to visit Discovery Bay will be required to pay HK$73.60 instead of HK$46.

One reason given for the proposed fare increase is a lack of patronage. Anybody who uses the ferry regularly knows that this is not the case. Even if there were any truth in it, raising fares to unaffordable levels would result in even less patronage, setting off a vicious circle. Keep in mind that the government grants subsidies to ferry firms under the Vessel Subsidy

Scheme launched in 2019 for pier adjustments and replacement of vessels.

In Discovery Bay, many are struggling to get by, given the high rents, school fees and abnormal prices in the supermarkets. Several shops and restaurants have closed due to high rents. The fare hike would be another reason to consider leaving the area for good. I beg the Transport Department to throw this proposal out and force the management company to adhere to the formula that restricted the MTR to a 3 per cent increase. Chris Stubbs, Discovery Bay