For all these reasons, there will probably be a need for further increases in bus fares before long; and it should be remembered that inflation over the last seven or eight years has reduced the real value of the fares set in 1971/72.
Assumption behind the MTRC Board's Decision
9
The MTRC Board, in setting its fares, assumed as essential to its decision that the Government would bring about a reshaping of bus and PLB services to provide feeder service links to MTR stations and would change existing bus routes and PLB services in MTR corridors to complement the introduction of the MTR. It must be emphasised again that a restructuring of bus and other services has always been envisaged as accompanying the introduction of the MTR. It was first mentioned in the original Hong Kong Mass Transport Study of 1967. It was referred to in memorandum XCC(72)27 of April 1972, following consideration of which the decision to build the mass transit railway was made. It was anticipated at the time of making the decision to proceed with the MIS in 1975 and has been referred to subsequently in both the Executive and Legislative Councils and to the public generally. Extracts from the relevant documents are at Annex B.