Operational Review
MARKETING, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
FIVE YEAR PLAN 1995-1999
The Five Year Plan for the period 1995-1999 was submitted to Government in July 1994. The Plan covers the Route Development Programme (“RDP”), fleet requirements, depot requirements, vehicle maintenance and financial implications. As a major component of the Five Year Plan, the RDP includes details of planned changes to the bus network. Under the RDP, the scheduled allocation of daily turn out of buses (excluding vehicles undergoing regular maintenance) will be increased steadily from the estimated year end allocation of 2,893 buses for 1995 to 3,033 for 1999.
FEASIBILITY OF SETTING UP PASSENGER INTERCHANGES
The Company is considering commissioning a consultant to study the feasibility of providing passenger interchange facilities in the new towns such as Ma On Shan and Tseung Kwan O. The objective of the interchange facilities is to enhance efficiency through the operation of shorter but more frequent services and to reduce the number of long distance routes that are vulnerable to traffic congestion.
URBAN KOWLOON NETWORK RATIONALISATION
Demand for bus services in Urban Kowloon has declined over the recent years. Many factors have contributed to this such as the decline in population, extended coverage of the MTR, the decline in the use of ferries and the associated feeder bus services to ferry terminals, and lower bus speeds due to increased congestion.
This development has resulted in under-utilised bus services and poor viability of the Urban Kowloon network. There is very little scope for further cost reductions without cuts in services and the service frequencies are already, by Hong Kong standards, lower than desirable on some under-utilized routes.
In the light of these factors, KMB commissioned MVA Asia in 1993 to undertake an independent and thorough review of KMB services in Urban Kowloon. To minimise any possible adverse impacts on passengers while maintaining a viable operation, MVA recommended a phased network rationalisation programme with 13 priority proposals for phase 1. The implementation of the 13 priority proposals will release 56 buses for redeployment to serve areas of higher demand. KMB has presented the improvement proposals to all five district boards in Urban Kowloon, the Transport Advisory Committee and the Legislative Council Transport Panel.
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