WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986
REASONS FOR LRT MEASURES EXPLAINED
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THERE ARE TWO MAIN REASONS WHY IT IS UNDESIRABLE TO ALLOW DIRECTLY COMPETING BUS SERVICES TO OPERATE IN THE +TRANSIT SERVICE AREA+ OF THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT (LRT) SYSTEM IN THE NORTHWESTERN NEW TERRITORIES, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON HARNAM GREWAL, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1986, WHICH PROVIDES A LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE KCR CORPORATION TO BUILD AND OPERATE THE LRT, HE SAID THERE HAD BEEN CRITICISM THAT THE PROPOSED MEASURES FOR AN INTEGRATED PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM WOULD AMOUNT TO GRANTING A MONOPOLY TO THE CORPORATION IN THE TRANSIT SERVICE AREA.
HE EMPHASISED THAT THE LRT WOULD NOT BE PLACED IN A MONOPOLY SITUATION: EXTERNAL KOWLOON MOTOR BUS SERVICES, RESIDENTIAL COACHES, RED AND GREEN MINIBUSES AND TAXIS WOULD ALL CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN THE REGION.
EXPLAINING THE TWO MAIN REASONS WHY COMPETING BUS SERVICES SHOULD NOT OPERATE IN THE TRANSIT SERVICE AREA, MR GREWAL SAID: +FIRSTLY, UNLIKE THE MTR WHICH IS AN ADDITIONAL MODE SERVING EXISTING URBAN CORRIDORS OF HIGH PASSENGER DEMAND, THE LRT IS TO BE BUILT AS THE PRIME PEOPLE-MOVER IN THE DEVELOPING NEW TOWN OF TUEN MUN, WHICH IS THE SAME SIZE OF KOWLOON, AND THE NORTHWEST WHERE THERE IS INSUFFICIENT INTERNAL DEMAND TO SUPPORT MORE THAN ONE MAJOR MODE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
+ SECONDLY, THE LRT IS INTENDED TO BE A NEW FORM OF TRANSPORT IN PLACE OF A SYSTEM THAT RELIES HEAVILY ON BUSES. IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT IS PROPOSED IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE INTERNAL FRANCHISED BUS SERVICE BY THE LRT.+
THE LRT SYSTEM WITH ITS FEEDER ROUTES WOULD PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE AND CONVENIENT SERVICE WITH SUFFICIENT CAPACITY TO COPE WITH TRAFFIC DEMAND WELL INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.
HENCE THERE WOULD BE A CONTINUING ROLE FOR BUSES ON FEEDER ROUTES AS WELL AS EXTERNAL SERVICES, AND IN THIS REGARD THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WELCOME CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE KCRC AND KMB ON THE PROVISION OF FEEDER SERVICES WITHIN THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK SET OUT IN THE BILL. THE ACTUAL DETAILS AS TO HOW THIS COULD BE ACHIEVED WOULD BE A MATTER FOR DISCUSSION AND NEGOTIATION BETWEEN THE TWO.
+ THE LRT WILL BE THE FIRST PUBLIC TRANSPORT MODE OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG, ONE THAT WILL PROVIDE A MODERN, AIR-CONDITIONED, COMFORTABLE, CONVENIENT AND EFFICIENT FORM OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT AT REASONABLE COST FOR RESIDENTS OF THE NORTHWESTERN NEW TERRITORIES, + HE POINTED OUT.
/MR GREWAL