TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 1982
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88 APPLY TO OPERATE SPECIAL RESIDENTIAL COACH SERVICE
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EIGHTY-EIGHT APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT FOR THE OPERATION OF SPECIAL RESIDENTIAL COACH SERVICES, A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).
THE NEW TYPE OF RESIDENTIAL COACH SERVICE WILL SERVE THE OUTLYING RESIDENTIAL AREAS, ESPECIALLY PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS WITHOUT ADEQUATE BUS AND MAXICAB SERVICES.
AMONG THE CONDITIONS OFFERED FOR THE OPERATION OF THE SERVICE WERE THAT IT COULD BE RESTRICTED TO PEAK HOURS WHEN PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES ARE INADEQUATE, AND THAT FARES CHARGED WOULD NOT BE FIXED BUT WOULD BE NEGOTIABLE BETWEEN THE OPERATOR AND THE USER.
APPLICANTS WERE GIVEN SIX WEEKS FROM FEBRUARY 5 UNTIL MARCH 19 TO SEND IN THEIR BIDS FOR A TWO-YEAR NON-EXCLUSIVE RESIDENTIAL COACH SERVICE LICENCE.
OF THE 88 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED, 67 ARE FOR SERVICES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES MAINLY PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN THE NEW TOWNS OF SHA TIN, TSUEN WAN AND TUEN MUN.
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OF THE REMAINDER, 16 ARE FOR SERVICE ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND THE OTHERS ARE FOR DIRECT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AREAS AND MTR STATIONS.
THE MAJORITY OF THE APPLICATIONS ARE FOR OPERATION DURING PEAK PERIODS ONLY AND THE FARES AGREED BETWEEN OPERATORS AND USERS RANGE FROM AROUND $5 FOR LONG-DISTANCE ROUTES TO UNDER $1 FOR SHORT-DISTANCE LINKS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID HE WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESPONSE, ADDING THAT IT WAS HOPED THAT THE FIRST LICENCES WOULD BE ISSUED BEFORE THE END OF NEXT MONTH,
CHEUNG CHAU LAND RECLAMATION PROJECT
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ABOUT FOUR HECTARES OF LAND WILL BE RECLAIMED AT CHEUNG CHAU WAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHEUNG CHAU.
THE NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT BRANCH OF NEW TERRITORIES DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS NOW INVITING TENDERS FOR THE PROJECT.
ON COMPLETION, THE LAND WILL BE USED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF VILLAGE HOUSES FOR ABOUT 1 500 PEOPLE, A SECONDARY SCHOOL, MARKET AND COOKED FOOD STALLS AND OPEN SPACES.
THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO PUMPING STATIONS WHICH WILL BE CONNECTED TO A NEW SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT DUE TO BE COMPLETED IN MID-1984.
WORK ON THE PROJECT WILL START IN JULY AND TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE, A PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY.