THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1984
3
MORE CONTROL OVER BUS SERVICES PROPOSED
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THE GOVERNMENT IS SEEKING TO AMEND THE PUBLIC OMNIBUS SERVICES ORDINANCE TO IMPROVE ITS CONTROL OVER THE OPERATION AND PLANNING OF FRANCHISED BUS SERVICES.
THESE AMENDMENTS WOULD PROVIDE THE LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR FURTHER IMPROVEMENT IN THE STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE OF THE TWO FRANCHISED BUS COMPANIES.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT ONE OF THE MAJOR PROPOSALS, UNDER THE AMENDMENT BILL PUBLISHED TODAY, IS A CLEARER DEFINITION OF A +PROPER AND EFFICIENT BUS SERVICE+, ́WHICH WILL ALLOW BETTER SUPERVISION OVER THE OPERATIONS OF A FRANCHISE GRANTEE, AND ENABLE WARNING SIGNS OF LIKELY FAILINGS TO BE IDENTIFIED AT AN EARLY STAGE SO THAT REMEDIAL ACTION CAN BE TAKEN IN GOOD TIME.
UNDER THIS DEFINITION, THE BUS SERVICE HAS TO BE PROVIDED NOT ONLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRANCHISE AND THE ORDINANCE AND ANY DIRECTIONS OR REQUIREMENTS UNDER THEM, IT HAS ALSO TO BE MAINTAINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF ANY PROGRAMME AGREED BETWEEN THE GRANTEE AND THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT.
IN ORDER THAT PLANNING MAY ROLL FORWARD, THE GRANTEE WILL
IT HAVE TO PREPARE A FIVE-YEAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME EACH YEAR. MAY BE REQUIRED TO CARRY OUT VEHICLE MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING ACCORDING TO THIS PROGRAMME AND IT WILL HAVE TO KEEP RECORDS OF BUS ORDERS AND EXPECTED AVAILABLE DATES SO THAT ITS ABILITY TO MEET FUTURE ROUTE REQUIREMENTS MAY BE ASSESSED.
THE GOVERNMENT'S SUPERVISION OVER THE ADEQUACY OF BUSES WILL ALSO BE ENHANCED BY PROVISIONS TO COVER THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW OR TEMPORARY ROUTES OR TEMPORARY CHANGES TO EXISTING SERVICES, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
UNDER THESE PROVISIONS, THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT WILL HAVE TO BE SATISFIED THAT THE GRANTEE HAS ADEQUATE BUSES FOR THE NEW OR TEMPORARY ROUTE AND STILL PROVIDE A PROPER AND EFFICIENT SERVICE ON ALL EXISTING ROUTES BEFORE THE ROUTE IS INTRODUCED.
ANOTHER IMPROVEMENT PROPOSED BY THE BILL CLARIFIES THAT FRANCHISES ARE SUBJECT TO THE PRINCIPAL ORDINANCE AS WELL AS TO ITS AMENDMENTS.
THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT THIS CLARIFICATION IS REQUIRED BECAUSE THE FRANCHISES GRANTED TO THE TWO BUS COMPANIES REFER SPECIFICALLY TO THE PUBLIC OMNIBUS SERVICES ORDINANCE 1975 AND THIS MIGHT BE INTERPRETED AS EXEMPTING THEM FROM ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE.
FURTHERMORE, BEFORE EXTENDING A FRANCHISE, THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO BE SATISFIED THAT THE GRANTEE IS CAPABLE OF MAINTAINING A PROPER AND EFFICIENT SERVICE. BUT WILL NO LONGER REQUIRE IT TO HAVE MAINTAINED SUCH A SERVICE THROUGHOUT THE FRANCHISE PERIOD.
/+IT WOULD