TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1985
EXCO APPROVES KMB FARE RISE
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THE APPLICATION BY THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY FOR A FARE INCREASE HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TO TAKE EFFECT ON FEBRUARY 24. KMB'S LAST GENERAL FARE INCREASE WAS IN MAY 1983.
THE NEW FARES FOR THE CROSS HARBOUR ROUTES WILL ALSO APPLY TO CROSS HARBOUR SERVICES OPERATED BY THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY IN CONJUNCTION WITH KMB.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT IN APPROVING THE FARE INCREASE, THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAD TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS EXPRESSED PUBLICLY ON KMB'S APPLICATION.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE NEED FOR AN INCREASE IN FARES AS SUBMITTED BY KMB AROSE FROM INCREASING COSTS, INCLUDING THE ADDITIONAL OPERATING COSTS ARISING FROM THE EXPANSION OF THE BUS FLEET REQUIRED BY THE ROUTE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME.
THE ROUTE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME WAS DRAWN UP AFTER EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION WITH THE DISTRICT BOARDS AND WAS ENDORSED BY THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ANY EXCESS PROFITS ABOVE THE PERMITTED RETURN ARE UNDER THE LAW RETAINED IN THE DEVELOPMENT FUND.
IN MONEY TERMS, 77.4 PER CENT OF PASSENGERS WILL PAY AN ADDITIONAL FARE OF 10 CENTS TO 20 CENTS, 19.3 PER CENT 30 CENTS TO 50 CENTS AND LESS THAN 0.1 PER CENT WILL PAY AN ADDITIONAL FARE OF MORE THAN 50 CENTS.
3.3 PER CENT OF PASSENGERS WILL CONTINUE TO PAY EXISTING FARES. BECAUSE OF THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW FARE BANDS IN THE NT URBAN AND EXPRESS ROUTE GROUPS, FARES ON FOUR ROUTES WILL ACTUALLY BE REDUCED BY 10 CENTS.
THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAD BEEN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STANDARD AND IN THE LEVEL OF KMB'S SERVICES AND HE EXPECTED KMB TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE A SATISFACTORY AND EXPANDING SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC.
HE ADDED THAT THE METRIC UNITS USED IN THE FARE SCALES OF KMB, CMB AND THE NEW LANTAU BUS COMPANY FOR BAGGAGE AND GOODS HAVE BEEN ROUNDED UP FOLLOWING THE IR CONVERSION FROM THE IMPERIAL SYSTEM. THE EFFECT OF THESE CHANGES IS INSIGNIFICANT.
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