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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1981
BUS SUB-GROUP TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO TAC
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THE ROUTE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME SUB-GROUP, SET UP IN MAY TO REVIEW THE OPERATION AND FUTURE EXPANSION OF KMB'S BUS SERVICES, HELD ITS FINAL MEETING TODAY (MONDAY), AND ITS REPORT AND
RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE SUBMITTED SHORTLY TO THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE GROUP COMPRISES OFFICIALS FROM SEVERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, REPRESENTATIVES FROM KMB, TWO TAC MEMBERS, MRS ELSIE ELLIOTT AND MR STEPHEN WONG, AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, MR WAYNE KWOK AND MR VINCENT KO.
AT TODAY'S MEETING MEMBERS ENDORSED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMMES AIMED AT ACHIEVING OPERATING ECONOMIES, WHICH WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE. THOUGH SAFEGUARDS WERE AGREED TO MINIMISE ANY INCONVENIENCE TO THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC.
THE PROGRAMMES OF ECONOMIES TO BE PURSUED ARE A REDUCTION IN THE NETWORK OF COACH SERVICE AND SOME REDUCTIONS IN BUS SERVICES DURING OFF-PEAK PERIODS.
PROPOSALS TO CANCEL SEVERAL MONEY-LOSING BUS ROUTES WERE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH, AND WERE AGREED ONLY ON CONDITION THAT ALL MEANS OF RESTORING VIABILITY WERE EXHAUSTED, AND THAT ADEQUATE ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORT FACILITIES WERE PROVIDED.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE EXISTING MILEAGE-BASED FARE SYSTEM SHOULD BE RETAINED, SINCE ONE-MAN OPERATION WITHOUT TICKETS WAS ECONOMICAL AND EFFICIENT, BUT IT WOULD BE DEVELOPED BY THE ADDITION OF AN+EXPRESS+ CATEGORY TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER SPEED BUS SERVICES, AND THAT FARES HIGHER THAN THE NORMAL SCALE COULD BE IMPOSED ON CERTAIN ROUTES WHERE SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES APPLIED, AND WHERE THE ALTERNATIVE MIGHT BE THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE ROUTE.
THE GROUP CONSIDERED THREE ALTERNATIVE EXPANSION OPTIONS FOR KMB UP TO THE END OF 1983, RANGING FROM 1 709 BUSES IN DAILY SERVICE TO 1 957 BUSES. IN TERMS OF THE LEVEL OF SERVICE, THESE OPTIONS RANGE FROM NO CHANGE IN PRESENT PEAK TRAVELLING CONDITIONS TO A PEAK CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT OF ABOUT 20 PER CENT. AT PRESENT KMB HAS 1 649 BUSES ON THE ROAD EACH DAY.
THE GROUP RECOMMENDED THAT A MODERATE EXPANSION OPTION BE ADOPTED,
THREE OF THE OTHER FOUR SUB-GROUPS ARE ALSO CRITICALLY EXAMINING COSTS IN THE IR RESPECTIVE AREAS OF DEPOTS, MAINTENANCE AND SPARE PARTS, AND THE IR RECOMMENDATIONS, WHEN IMPLEMENTED, WILL ALSO AFFECT KMB'S COSTS.
MEANWHILE THE