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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1979
SECOND THROUGH PASSENGER TRAIN BETWEEN KOWLOON
AND GUANGZHOU DISCUSSED ******
THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY (K.C.R.) AND THE GUANGZHOU RAILWAY ADMINISTRATION HAVE AGREED IN PRINCIPLE ON THE DESIRABILITY OF INTRODUCING A SECOND THROUGH PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICE BETWEEN KOWLOON AND GUANGZHOU.
THERE ARE MANY OPERATIONAL DETAILS TO BE RESOLVED AND THE COMMENCEMENT DATE IS UNLIKELY TO BE UNTIL EARLY 1980.
THIS WAS STATED TODAY (MONDAY) BY THE GENERAL MANAGER OF K.C.R., MR. D.M. HOWES FOLLOWING +DISCUSSIONS HELD IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF GREAT CO-OPERATION AND FRIENDLINESS+ IN GUANGZHOU LAST WEEK.
MR. HOWES SAID THE QUESTION OF A SECOND THROUGH TRAIN SERVICE AROSE OUT OF THE SUCCESS OF THE PRESENT ONE AND THE GENERAL INCREASE IN MOVEMENT OF PASSENGERS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA.
+THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OPERATION OF THE PRESENT THROUGH TRAIN SERVICE BETWEEN KOWLOON AND GUANGZHOU WAS REVIEWED AND SOME MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE CONDITIONS OF OPERATION OF THE TRAIN, BASED ON EXPERIENCE, WERE APPROVED, + HE SAID.
MR. HOWES SAID THAT FROM THE PUBLIC POINT OF VIEW, THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THESE WAS THAT FROM NOVEMBER 1 THIS YEAR, THE FARE FROM KOWLOON TO GUANGZHOU WOULD BE MARGINALLY INCREASED.
THE NEW FARE WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN A FEW DAYS TIME.
+THIS INCREASE IS SOLELY TO REFLECT THE DECLINE IN THE EXCHANGE RATE BETWEEN THE HONG KONG DOLLAR AND THE RMB AND IS IN CONFORMITY OF THE CLAUSE IN THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE AUTHORITIES THAT WHEN THE EXCHANGE RATE FLUCTUATES FOR MORE THAN FIVE PER CENT, THE CONVERSION RATE WOULD BE RE-EXAMINED, + MR. HOWES EXPLAINED.
FROM THE SAME DATE, THE FARE PAID IN RMB FOR THE JOURNEY FROM GUANGZHOU TO KOWLOON WILL BE FRACTIONALLY REDUCED.
MR. HOWES SAID MANY OTHER TECHNICAL POINTS WERE ALSO DISCUSSED TO IMPROVE THE GENERAL EFFICIENCY IN MOVEMENTS BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA.
+THE MOST IMPORTANT OF WHICH IS THE AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE THAT CERTAIN FREIGHT TRAINS WOULD BE WORKED THROUGHOUT BY LOCOMOTIVES FROM CHINA.
+THIS WILL HELP TO EASE THE PRESSURE ON THE PRESENT VERY LIMITED RESOURCES OF THE K.C.R. IN RELATION TO THE INCREASING VOLUME OF TRAFFIC WITHIN THE HONG KONG TERRITORY, HE SAID.
MR. HOWES