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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1974.
K.C.R. FARE STRUCTURE TO BE REVISED
茶茶茶茶
AN INCREASE IN FARES AND A REVISED STRUCTURE WILL be
INTRODUCED BY THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY FOR ITS PASSENGER SERVICES BEGINNING ON NOVEMBER 4, 1974.
THE FARE INCREASES RANGE FROM 27 TO 60 PER CENT WITH AN AVERAGE OF 35 PER CENT.
THERE WILL BE HALF FARE CONCESSIONS FOR CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGE OF THREE AND 12 YEARS AND FOR STUDENTS ON WEEKDAYS, DURING THE SUMMER HOLIDAYS. SCHOLAR TICKETS, VALID FOR SIX MONTHS, WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE TO APPROVED STUDENTS AT $48 EACH.
THE NEW STRUCTURE VILL INCLUDE THE ABOLITION OF THE THREE- MONTH SEASON TICKET. THE PRICE FOR THE HONTHLY TICKET WILL BE CALCULATED ON BASIS OF 40 INSTEAD OF 30 SINGLE JOURNEYS A MONTH. SINCE THEY ARE NORMALLY USED FOR 52 JOURNEYS, THE DISCOUNT FOR TICKET HOLDERS WILL BE OVER 20 PER CENT.
ANNOUNCING THE REVISION TODAY, THE KCR GENERAL MANAGER, MR. REG. GREGORY, SAID THE INCREASE IN FABES IS THE FIRST IN 27 YEARS AND WAS DECIDED AFTER A CAREFUL STUDY OF THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE KOULOON-CANTON RAILWAY.
INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED THAT SURPLUSES HAVE TENDED TO DECLINE IN RECENT YEARS AND OPERATING COSTS HAVE RISEN SHARPLY. IN THE CURRENT YEAR FUEL COSTS WILL BE $1 MILLION MORE THAN THEY WERE IN 1973/74.
+THIS,+ MR. GREGORY SAID, +COUPLED WITH AN INCREASE OF
$1.7 MILLION FOR WAGES AND AN ESTIMATED DECLINE IN FREIGHT REVENUE OF ABOUT $1.5 MILLION SHOVED THAT THE KCR WOULD HAVE HAD A DEFICIT AT THE END OF THIS FINANCIAL YEAR, UNLESS THE INCREASE IS INTRODUCED.+
IN RETURN FOR THE FARES INCREASE PASSENGERS VILL FIND THAT TRAINS WILL HAVE MORE SEATS, ABOUT HALF OF THE COACHES VILL BE NEW AND, IN ADDITION, IT IS HOPED THAT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO OPERATE DAILY AN ADDITIONAL FIVE TRAINS EACH WAY BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND KOULOON STATIONS, SOME OF WHICH WILL FURTHER ASSIST IN REDUCING OVER-CROWDING IN THE PEAK HOURS.
UNDER THE REVISED STRUCTURE, THERE WILL ONLY BE TWO CLASSES OF FARES - FIRST CLASS AND ORDINARY CLASS, WITH THE PRESENT SECOND AND THIRD CLASSES ELIMINATED.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ALL EXISTING MONTHLY AND SEASON TICKETS. FURCHASED BEFORE THE DATE OF THE INCREASE WILL BE VALID UNTIL THEIR DATE OF EXPIRY WITHOUT AN INCREASE IN PRICE. ALSO, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO SECOND CLASS COACHES, HOLDERS OF SECOND CLASS TICKETS WILL BE ALLOWED TO USE FIRST CLASS COACHES DURING THE VALIDITY OF THEIR TICKET.
/A SPECIAL