WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1977
FUTURE OF BUS AND PLB SERVICES
MR. HADDON-CAVE STRESSED THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NC INTENTION ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT TO DEPRIVE THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC OF SUCH SERVICES WHERE THE DEMAND EXISTED.
+
+THE INTENTION (OF RESHAPING BUS AND PLB SERVICES) IS THAT A RANGE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES, DIFFERING IN COMFORT, CONVENIENCE, SPEED AND COST WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
+BUS, PLB AND FERRY SERVICES ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN MTR CORRIDORS, AFTER THE MTR OPENS, AS THERE WILL STILL BE A MAJOR ROLE TO BE PLAYED BY SURFACE PUBLIC TRANSPORT MODES, + HE SAID.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE PRECISE DETAILS OF THIS +RESHAP ING+ HAD YET TO BE DETERMINED, BUT IN GENERAL TERMS, IT MEANT THE PROVISION OF NEW FEEDER SERVICES TO LINK MTR STATIONS TO AREAS AWAY FROM THE STATIONS AND ALSO FOR CHANGES IN EXISTING ROUTE
IN MTR CORRIDORS AS THE RAILWAY AFFECTED SURFACE TRAVELLING PATTERNS IN THESE CORRIDORS.
IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL AT THIS STAGE PRECISELY, HOW +RESHAPING+ WOULD AFFECT THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC. MR. HADDON-CAVE CONTINUED. HE POINTED OUT HOWEVER, THAT LOWER PATRONAGE OF SURFACE PUBLIC TRANSPORT IMPLIED LOWER REVENUES AND FARES HIGHER THAN AT PRESENT AND THE COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE OF A MODERN TRANSPORT SYSTEM HAD TO BE PAID FOR.
+ THE ALTERNATIVE IS A VERY RAPID DETERIORATION IN TRAVEL CONDITIONS WITH ALL THAT THAT WOULD INVOLVE FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY, HE SAID.
HE ALSO REFERRED TO FORECAST FIGURES OF PATRONAGE OF THE VARIOUS TRANSPORT SERVICES WHICH +CERTAINLY DO NOT INDICATE THAT THE MTR WILL HAVE ANY SORT OF MONOPOLY.+
PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARES AND VIABILITY OF MTR
MR. HADDON-CAVE EMPHASISED THAT THERE HAD NEVER BEEN ANY INTENTION OF REVISING SURFACE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARES, ROUTES AND SERVICES SOLELY TO MAKE THE MTR VIABLE. AS IN THE PAST, REVISION WOULD ONLY BE MADE +WHEN THE INTERESTS OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC AS A WHOLE ARE THUS BEST SERVED, HE SAID.
HE DISCLOSED THAT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS HAD RECENTLY STARTED EXAMINING THE FULL IMPLICATIONS OF THE LIKELY IMPACT OF THE INITIAL SYSTEM ON TRAVEL PATTERNS. THE STUDY WOULD BE COMPLETED AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR AND WOULD BE FOLLWED BY CONSULTATIONS WITH THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS, AFTER WHICH THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL WOULD BE CONSULTED.
TURNING TO DOUBTS RAISED ABOUT THE ABILITY OF THE PUBLIC TO AFFORD A FARE STRUCTURE OF $1.40 TO $3.50 IN 1980 AND $1.60 TO 34 IN 1982, MR. HADDON-CAVE SAID COMPARISON OF THESE FARES WITH WAGES AS WE KNEW THEM TODAY IGNORED TWO POINTS.
/FIRSTLY,