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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1987
MEETING HELD ON MIDI-BUS ROUTES
THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR JAMES 30, HELD A MEETING THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PUBLIC LIGHT BUS (PLB), GREEN MINIBUS (GMB) AND PUBLIC OMNIBUS ASSOCIATIONS TO DISCUSS THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY'S PROPOSED USE OF 24-SEATER BUSES TO RUN ON EXISTING FRANCHISED BUS ROUTES 90 AND 208.
THE REPRESENTATIVES WANTED TO KNOW THE REASON FOR GRANTING APPROVAL TO KMB FOR THE USE OF THE 24-SEATER BUSES IN PLACK OF THE REGULAR BUSES. THEY URGED THAT KMB'S PROPOSAL TO USE MIDI-BUSES ON THE TWO ROUTES SHOULD BE FROZEN AND SOUGHT ASSURANCE THAT IN FUTURE NO SUCH TYPE OF BUSES WOULD BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE ON OTHER ROUTES OF FRANCHISED BUS COMPANIES.
MR SO EXPLAINED THAT THE INITIATIVE TO USE SMALL RN, MORK COMFORTABLE AND AIR-CONDITIONED BUSES ON THE TWO ROUTES CANE DRUH KMB BECAUSE IT WAS UNECONOMICAL TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE REGULAR BUBES ON THESE ROUTES.
THE COMPANY WANTED TO WITHDRAW ITS SERVICE FROM ONE OF THE ROUTES BUT THE SAI KUNG DISTRICT BOARD STRONGLY OBJECTED. THE
DB. HOWEVER, SUPPORTED THE USE OF 24-SEATER, AIR-CONDITIONED BUSES ALTHOUGH THE FARES FOR THE ROUTE WOULD BE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN AT PRESENT.
TRAVELLING PUBLIC ALSO
THE COMMISSIONER EMPHASISED THAT THE WELCOMED THE CONTINUATION OF THE SERVICE WITH SMALLER BUSES.
MR SO STRESSED THAT THE APPROVAL GIVEN ΤΟ KMB DID NOT MEAN THAT A NEW POLICY HAD BEEN INTRODUCED.
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"IT IS SIMPLY BECAUSE THE CONVENTIONAL DUSRS OPERATING THESE TWO ROUTES ARE NOW COMING TO THE END OF THEIR WORKING LIFE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, HE SAID.
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"THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, AFTER CAREFULLY CONSIDERING KMB'S APPLICATION, ACCEPTS THAT THE 24-SEATER BUSES ARE THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND SUITABLE TO OPERATE ON THESE ROUTES, HE CONTINUED.
MR SO SAID, HOWEVER, THAT NO APPLICATION TO USE SMALLER BUSES TO OPERATE NEW ROUTES WOULD BE ENTERTAINED UNTIL THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAD BEEN CONSULTED ON THE MATTER. OPERATORS WOULD ALSO BE CONSULTED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT'S REGULAR CONFERENCES WITH THE TRADE.
FURTHERMORE, MR SO REASSURED THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT GOVERNMENT FULLY RECOGNISED THAT GMB'S AND PLB'S HAD A USEFUL ROLE PLAY IN HONG KONG'S PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND WOULD CONTINUE IDENTIFY SUITABLE ROUTES FOR OPERATION BY GMB'S.
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