Lawmakers on Monday called on the government to improve water transport options in Kowloon East, saying residents there stand to benefit. At a Legco subcommittee on reviewing the area's transport facilities, various legislators proposed dedicated water taxi services to better serve Kowloon East residents. Currently, the water taxi service in the city mainly serves as a sightseeing route, taking passengers along Victoria Harbour and stopping at tourist spots such as Tsim Sha Tsui, Wan Chai and Central. Legislator Yang Wing-kit said connecting Kowloon East and eastern Hong Kong Island with water taxis would be attractive for commuters. In response, undersecretary for transport and logistics Liu Chun-san said the bureau is open to inviting tenders for a water taxi service catering to local residents, but noted that there is a lack of interest from operators. “We do understand that residents may have such demand. But it seems that the operators anticipate that demand will not be so high so they are not that interested,” he said. Tourism sector lawmaker Perry Yiu said the government should take the first step to improve supporting infrastructure, to make sea transport viable. “In Venice there are piers and there are berthing points everywhere, that’s why there is a lot of water transport. What about in Kowloon East? Do you have enough berthing points for water taxis?” he asked. Liu responded that authorities will first need to review harbour protection laws before considering building more berthing points. Meanwhile, the DAB’s Ngan Man-yu said he’s worried that there are not enough parking spaces for special coaches to disperse crowds after major events at the Kai Tak Sports Park. Liu replied that a nearby park is reserved to serve as a temporary parking lot. The park, featuring a 50,000-seat main stadium, is set to open in March next year, with various events planned, including British band Coldplay's concert and the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens.
