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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1988
THE MTRC HAD THEREFORE DECIDED TO USE THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS TO EXPLAIN MORE FULLY TO THE PUBLIC THE REASONS FOR THE FARE.
THE POINT WAS THAT THE PRESENT LOADING OF 81,000 ΤΟ 82,000 PASSENGERS DURING THE CRITICAL HOUR HAD RESULTED IN THE OVERLOADING OF TRAINS BY UP TO 40 PER CENT.
WHILE TRAIN SAFETY WAS NOT IN ANY WAY AT RISK, OVERCROWDING HAD REACHED SUCH AN INTOLERABLE STAGE THAT PASSENGER SAFETY COULD BR COMPROMISED.
HE SAID THAT ALL POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS TO DEAL WITH THE OVERCROWDING PROBLEM HAD BEEN EXPLORED BY THE CORPORATION.
THESE INCLUDED INCREASING THE FREQUENCY OF TRAINS TO LESS THAN TWO MINUTES, ADDING MORE CARS, CLOSING CERTAIN NORTH KOWLOON STATIONS REQUIRING PASSENGERS TO QUEUE UP AT DESIGNATED POSITIONS, RUNNING THROUGH TRAINS FROM KWUN TONG TO CENTRAL, AND REDUCING NON-PEAK FARES.
HOWEVER, NONE HAD BEEN FOUND TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL OR
ACCEPTABLE SOLUTIONS.
IN ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE CORPORATION CONSIDERED THAT APPLYING A PRICING MECHANISM IN THE FORM OF HIGHER FARES FOR TRAVELLING DURING THE PEAK CONGESTION PERIOD WAS THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND PRACTICAL, MEASURE TO ACHIEVE A BETTER BALANCE BETWEEN SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
THE SOLE PURPOSE WAS TO ENCOURAGE PASSENGERS TO TRAVEL EARLIER, BY NO MORE THAN 15 MINUTES OR SO, TO AVOID SERIOUS OVERCROWDING.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE MTRC HAD TAKEN STEPS ΤΟ ADVANCE THE TWO-MINUTE FREQUENCY SERVICE TO BEGIN AT 7.40 AM, THUS ENSURING THAT THERE WAS ADEQUATE CAPACITY TO COPE WITH THOSE PASSENGERS WHO CHOSE TO TRAVEL EARLIER.
THIS WAS IN ADDITION TO THE CHOICE OF OTHER TRANSPORT ALREADY MENTIONED.
MODES
MR LEUNG SAID THE DECISION TO INTRODUCE A PEAK CONGESTION WAS MADE BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE MTRC IN FULL RECOGNITION PUBLIC SAFETY.
FARE OF
THEIR DECISION TO POSTPONE IMPLEMENTATION WAS ALSO TAKEN IN FULL REGARD TO THE NEED TO EXPLAIN MORE FULLY ΤΟ THE PUBLIC THE REASONS FOR THE PROPOSAL.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAD ACTED IN A RESPONSIBLE HAD BEEN RESPONSIVE TO PUBLIC CRITICISM.
HE SAID, HOWEVER, GIVEN THAT THE BUILD-UP OF THE MTR NORMALLY STARTED IN MAY AND ESCALATED DURING WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE FOR THE MTRC ΤΟ FURTHER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PEAK CONGESTION FARE.
MANNER AND
PASSENGERS USING THE SUMMER, IT POSTPONE THE
/TO DO