WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1975
CENTRAL
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3
AIRPORT EXPRESS COACH SERVICE
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WITH FULL BACKING OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, THE KOWLOON MOTORS BUS COMPANY AND THE HONG KONG TOURIST AND HOTELS ASSOCIATIONS ARE TAKING STEPS TO FURTHER PROMOTE THE USE OF THE CENTRAL-AIRPORT EXPRESS COACH SERVICE.
THE SERVICE, ROUTE 200, WAS STARTED EARLIER THIS YEAR AT GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST TO PROVIDE RELATIVELY CHEAPER AND YET COMFORTABLE AND DIRECT PUBLIC TRANSPORT FACILITIES BETWEEN THE AIRPORT AND THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT ON HONG KONG ISLAND.
A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THE SERVICE HAD BEEN UNDER-UTILISED DESPITE CONTINUOUS EFFORTS TO MAKE IT AN ATTRACTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO PRIVATE CARS OR TAXIS FOR AIR TRAVELLERS, WELL-WISHERS AND AIRPORT STAFF,
HE SAID THE MOST RECENT INNOVATIONS, INTRODUCED IN SEPTEMBER, INCLUDED THE PROVISION OF FREE LUGGAGE SPACE ON THE COACHES, REVISED ROUTING AND A SERIES OF SIGNS WITH WHICH INTENDING PASSENGERS COULD READILY IDENTIFY THE SERVICE BOTH AT EACH BUS STOP AND AT THE AIRPORT.
IN RECENT DISCUSSIONS ON WAYS TO FURTHER PROMOTE ROUTE 200, HE SAID, KMB AGREED TO DISTRIBUTE LEAFLETS TO HOUSEHOLDS RESIDING NEAR THE ROUTE WHO MIGHT BE POTENTIAL PASSENGERS FOR THE COACH SERVICE.
THE LEAFLETS GIVE DETAILS OF THE ROUTING TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT, FREQUENCY, HOURS OF OPERATION, JOURNEY TIME, FARE AND THE HOTELS COVERED BY THE SERVICE.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID BOTH THE HONG KONG TOURIST AND HOTELS ASSOCIATIONS WERE WRITING TO VARIOUS TRAVEL AGENCIES AND HOTELS SEEKING THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE SERVICE WHICH WAS CONSIDERED A USEFUL ALTERNATIVE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS.
KMB, HE SAID, HAS INDICATED TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT THAT IT INTENDS TO DISCONTINUE ROUTE 200 BY THE END OF THE YEAR UNLESS THERE ARE ENOUGH PASSENGERS USING THE SERVICE TO MAKE IT VIABLE.
THE COMPANY HAS CLAIMED LOSSES ON THE SERVICE WHICH IS CARRYING ABOUT 600 PASSENGERS A DAY WHILE A DAILY AVERAGE OF AROUND 1,000 WOULD MAKE IT ECONOMICALLY VIABLE, HE SAID.
+ IT WOULD BE A PITY IF KMB WERE FORCED TO DISCONTINUE ROUTE 200 WHICH THE GOVERNMENT HAS INITIATED TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC TRANSPORT FACILITIES TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT, PARTICULARLY IN THE LIGHT OF NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS IN THE PAST ABOUT HIGH CHARGING OR OVERCHARGING BY OTHER MODES OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AT THE AIRPORT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
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