Higher ferry fares took effect yesterday despite a looming legal challenge over price gaps.
Trips to and from outlying island communities - apart from Mui Wo, where fares rose on April 1 - cost up to HK$4.10 more.
But questions remain over the future of the fare structure after a Cheung Chau community leader was granted a judicial review of what he says is a broken government promise to narrow the gap between weekday fares and those charged on Sundays and public holidays.
An islands district councillor, meanwhile, is hoping to lessen the impact of the increase by seeking concessions from the ferry company.
Kenny Kwok Cheuk-kin, chairman of the Cheung Chau Neighbourhood Association, was granted the review on Wednesday when he accused the transport commissioner of breaking a promise to narrow the fare gap to less than 20 per cent. But he failed to get an interim injunction to put on hold the Transport Department's decision that allows New World First Ferry to set fares with a difference of 46 per cent between weekdays and Sundays.
The government approved rises of 9 to 12 per cent for single-journey tickets and 7 per cent for monthly tickets, citing a rise in fuel prices, the minimum wage and flat passenger numbers as reasons.
