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board or alight anywhere along the route, assuming no restrictions are in force. However, this type of red PLB contributes to congestion as it tends to concentrate in the main bus and tram corridors, delaying high capacity carriers and other traffic by its frequent stops.
Expansion of the green minibus scheme continued in 1985 with PLBs being converted to fixed routes and fares under the control of the Transport Department, to serve areas of particular need. At year-end, 138 green minibus routes utilising 1 041 PLBs were in opera- tion throughout the territory, with about 460 000 passengers being carried daily. Con- cessionary fares for handicapped passengers are offered on some green minibus routes.
A fleet of 2010 private light buses is also maintained by schools, private residential developments and commercial enterprises for their own needs.
The policy on public light buses was reviewed in mid-1984 in the light of changing transport and traffic developments and implementation of some of the recommendations took place in 1985. In areas where the traffic conditions have substantially improved, some of the existing PLB restrictions were relaxed. The review also upheld many of the existing practices on the regulation of PLBs. The reasons for banning PLBs from limited access roads, new public housing estates and new towns were considered prudent.
Residential Coach Service
In order to serve the peak hour transport needs of remote residential areas, particularly those private developments with inadequate franchised bus services which cannot be served satisfactorily by green minibus services, a new category of bus service called a residential coach service was introduced in 1982. The service is intended to complement rather than compete with franchised bus services. With the introduction of the passenger service licences, some buses are authorised under these licences to operate residents' services under certain conditions, the main ones being that the service can only be operated according to the route, timetable and stopping places approved by the Commissioner for Transport. The authorisation to operate a residents' service is usually valid for one year and consideration may be given to renewal upon expiry. In assessing whether a licence should be renewed, account is taken of the continued need for the service and any effect it might have had on parallel franchised services.
To date, 20 licences have been issued for the operation of residential coach services, to serve residential developments in the New Territories.
Trams
The tram service in Hong Kong dates back to 1904 when Hongkong Tramways Limited began services on five overlapping routes. With the introduction of the Happy Valley- Causeway Bay MTR feeder service upon opening of the MTR Island Line, the company now operates six overlapping routes over 30 kilometres of track along the densely populated north shore of Hong Kong Island. The trams are well patronised and the opening of the MTR Island Line had little initial effect on them. During the year, the fleet of 161 double-deck tramcars carried a daily average of 331 600 passengers. Fares were last revised in 1983 and remain at 60 cents for adults, 20 cents for children under 12 years and 30 cents for student travel card holders.
The Peak Tramway Company Limited has been operating a cable-hauled funicular railway service up Victoria Peak between the lower levels of Hong Kong Island and Victoria Gap, 397 metres above sea level, since 1888. The service stops at four intermediate stations on the 1.4 kilometre line and in places negotiates a gradient of one-in-two. It is popular with tourists, and at the same time provides a direct route to Central District for