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NEMANESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1982
+AM I RIGHT THAT THE LARGER, HEAVIER VEHICLES WILL USE MORE FUEL PER MILE?
+WHAT CONTROLS WILL BE EXERCISED OVER THE FARES? SHE ASKED.
ANOTHER UNOFFICIAL, DR HO KAM-FAI, ALSO CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO GUARD AGAINST LIGHT BUS OPERATORS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES TO RAISE BUS FARES HIGHER THAN JUST IF IED.
+AS THE NEW TYPE OF LIGHT BUS WILL BE LARGER, HEAVIER AND MORE POWERFUL. THE OPERATING COST IS LIKELY TO BE HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE EXISTING MODELS.
+THIS INCREASE IN OPERATING COST WILL INEVITABLY BE PASSED ONTO THE PASSENGERS.
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WOULD THEREFORE LIKE TO ASK THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUTING PUBLIC AND TO GUARD AGAINST LIGHT BUS OPERATORS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE BUS FARES HIGHER THAN IS JUSTIFIED BY ANY ACTUAL INCREASE IN OPERATING COST, HE SAID.
DR HỌ NOTED THAT SOME UNSCRUPULOUS LIGHT BUS OPERATORS ALREADY HAD THE REPUTATION OF RUTHLESSLY JACKING UP THE BUS FARES UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES FAVOURABLE TO THEMSELVES, SUCH AS DURING RUSH HOURS, TYPHOON DAYS AND CERTAIN STATUTORY HOLIDAYS.
REFERRING TO CONCERN EXPRESSED BY THE UNOFFICIALS ABOUT POSSIBLE INCREASED FARES, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON ALAN SCOTT, SAID THIS COULD ARISE, IF, FOR INSTANCE, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN OPERATING COSTS FROM THE USE OF AIR- CONDITIONING IN VEHICLES.
*BUT THIS WOULD PROVIDE A BETTER SERVICE, HE SAID.
HE SAID ALSO THAT THE BILL WOULD ALLOW OPERATORS +TO SHOP AROUND+ FOR CHOICE OF MODELS, THUS INTRODUCING AN ELEMENT OF PRICE COMPETITION AMONG SUPPLIERS.
WITH REGARD TO CONTROL OF THE PLB'S, THIS MATTER WAS CONTINUALLY IN MIND. THERE WERE ALREADY CONSIDERABLE CONTROLS, FOR INSTANCE, THROUGH DESIGNATION OF PLB PROHIBITED ZONES.
NOTWITHSTANDING THEIR ADMITTED DISADVANTAGES, PLB'S ARE AN ACCEPTED FEATURE OF THE TRANSPORT SCENE AND PROVIDE ABOUT 19 PER CENT OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT PASSENGER JOURNEYS, MR SCOTT SAID.
HE FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS NO GOVERNMENT CONTROL OVER FARES OF PLB'S (OTHER THAN MAXICABS) AND THEY GENERALLY FACE COMPETITION FROM FRANCHISED BUSES, THE MTR, TRAMS AND TAXIS.
→THIS TO SOME EXTENT DETERMINES THE LEVEL OF FARE WHICH THEY CAN CHARGE, MR SCOTT SAID.
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