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MONDAY, MARCH 5, 1979
STUDENT FARES ON KCR TO BE REVISED
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STUDENT FARES ON THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY (KCR) WHICH HAVE REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE 1957 ARE TO BE REVISED OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD BEGINNING ON SEPTEMBER 1.
STUDENT TICKETS, PREVIOUSLY ISSUED FOR SIX-MONTHLY PERIODS AT A COST OF $48, WILL FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1979, BE ISSUED MONTHLY. THE FARE STRUCTURE WILL BE
* FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1979 -
* FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1980
* FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1981
$16, OR THE NORMAL CHILD FARE, WHICHEVER IS THE LESS-
$24, OR THE NORMAL CHILD FARE, WHICHEVER IS THE LESS=
THE EQUIVALENT OF THE STANDARD CHILD FARE (1.E. 50 PER CENT OF THE ADULT FARE).
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THE LEVEL OF SUBSIDY TO STUDENTS TRAVELLING ON KCR WAS AT PRESENT AS HIGH AS 80 PER CENT IN SOME CASES, WHEREAS IT WAS 50 PER CENT ON BUSES AND TRAMS.
THE NEW STRUCTURE, HE SAID, WOULD BRING SUBSIDISED RAIL TRAVEL FOR STUDENTS INTO LINE WITH OTHER TRANSPORT, BUT THIS WOULD NOT OCCUR UNTIL THE THIRD YEAR.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID GOVERNMENT FULLY RECOGNISED THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS TRAVELLING TO AND FROM THE CHINESE UNVERSITY OR FROM OUTLYING PARTS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES TO SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES IN THE URBAN AREAS BUT, NONE OF THE INCREASED COSTS WHICH HAD ARISEN SINCE 1957 HAD BEEN REFLECTED IN TICKET CHARGES FOR STUDENTS.
NOR HE SAID, HAD THE COST OF STUDENT TRAVEL ON KCR BEEN REFLECTED IN THE GENERAL FARE INCREASES IN 1974.
+THE PHASING OF THE INCREASE OVER A THREE-YEAR PERIOD AND THE DECISION TO ISSUE TICKETS FOR MONTHLY INSTEAD OF SIX-MONTHLY PERIODS ARE BOTH DELIBERATELY DESIGNED TO EASE ANY FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE FAMILIES OF STUDENTS, HE SAID.
DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING THE NEW STUDENT TICKETS WOULD BE MADE KNOWN TO STUDENTS THROUGH APPROPRIATE EDUCATIONAL AUTHORITIES, HE ADDED.
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