FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1974.
A SPECIAL FEATURE OF THE NEW STRUCTURE, HE ADDED, WAS THAT IT IS BASED ON A TAPERED-MILEAGE SCALE SO THAT THE LONGER THE JOURNEY, THE SMALLER WILL BE THE FARE INCREASE PER MILE.
+THIS IS DONE WITH SPECIAL REGARD FOR THE NEW TERRITORIES PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN FANLING, SHEUNG SHUI, TAI PO AND THE NEIGHBOURING AREAS AS THEY ARE SIGNIFICANTLY DEPENDENT ON TRAINS FOR THEIR TRANSPORT REQUIREMENTS TO KOULOON AND HAVE THE SMALLEST RATE OF INCREASE.+
ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT THE ORDINARY FARE BETWEEN TSIM SHA TSUI AND HONG KOK IS RAISED BY 60 PER CENT TO 40 CENTS. THIS WILL TEND TO PROVIDE MORE SPACE FOR PASSENGERS TRAVELLING ON LONGER JOURNEYS.
BEGINNING ON NOVEMBER 4, KCR WILL ALSO INTRODUCE PRE-BOOK ING FOR FIRST CLASS TICKET HOLDERS, EXCEPT ON FESTIVAL DAYS. THIS MEANS THAT FIRST CLASS PASSENGERS WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO QUEUE UP AT THE LAST MINUTE FOR A TICKET BUT INSTEAD WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE ADVANCE BOOKINGS, INITIALLY ONE DAY EARLIER. IF THEY PURCHASE THEIR TICKET WHEN MAKING THE RESERVATION THERE WILL BE NO EXTRA CHARGE.
COMMENTING ON THE NEW FARE STRUCTURE, MR. GREGORY STRESSED THAT THE PRIMARY OBJECT OF THE INCREASE IN FARES WAS TO MAINTAIN THE VIABILITY OF THE RAILWAY IN RELATION TO THE NEED TO PROVIDE SURPLUSES FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT.
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PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE DOUBLE-TRACKING OF THE LINES BETWEEN HUNG HOM AND SHA TIN, THE OPENING OF THE NEW TERMINAL AT HUNG HOM, AIR-CONDITIONING OF FOUR OUT OF THE 40 NEW CARRIAGES, AND THE RE-CONSTRUCTION OF MONG KOK AND SHA TIN STATIONS.
HE STRONGLY BELIEVED THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS, AND OTHERS WHICH IT IS HOPED WILL FOLLOW, VILL BRING ABOUT A MORE COMFORTABLE AND EFFICIENT RAILWAY SERVICE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND ENABLE FUTURE FARE LEVELS TO REMAIN STABLE.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
COPIES OF A TABLE OF THE NEW FARE STRUCTURE ARE AVAILABLE FOR COLLECTION FROM THE G.I.S. PRESS ROOM, 6TH FLOOR, BEACONSFIELD HOUSE.
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