WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 1989
REGULATION OF FREE FEEDER BUS SERVICE DESIRABLE
THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IT WAS DESIRABLE IN THE LONGER TERM TO REGULATE FREE FEEDER BUS SERVICES TO ENSURE MORE EFFECTIVE CO-ORDINATION BETWEEN COMPETING TRANSPORT SERVICES.
REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON MARIA TAM CONCERNING FREE FEEDER BUS SERVICES OFFERED BY THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION, MR LEUNG SAID THAT PRACTICAL MEASURES BEING EXAMINED INCLUDE GREATER REGULATION OF THE PERMITTED ROUTES OF FREE FEEDER SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT WASTEFUL COMPETITION WAS AVOIDED AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.
HE SAID THE KCRC ORDINANCE EMPOWERED THE CORPORATION TO OPERATE FREE FEEDER BUS SERVICES TO AND FROM RAILWAY PREMISES.
THESE SERVICES REQUIRED ONLY A PASSENGER SERVICE LICENCE ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT.
ON THE INTRODUCTION OF TWO NEW KCRC FREE FEEDER BUS ROUTES IN TAI PO, MR LEUNG SAID THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAD REMINDED THE CORPORATION OF THE IMPLICATIONS FOR OTHER TRANSPORT OPERATORS AND THEIR INTEREST, IN ADDITION TO COMPLYING WITH THE LICENSING CONDITION OF THE PASSENGER SERVICE LICENCE.
MR LEUNG SAID THESE RAILWAY FEEDERS FACILITATED PASSENGERS IN THE USE OF THE RAILWAY SYSTEM AND WERE BROADLY CONSISTENT WITH THE OVERALL POLICY OF ENCOURAGING THE USE OF OFF-ROAD PUBLIC TRANSPORT MODES.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, THE DEPARTMENT FOUND THAT THESE FREE SERVICES DID AFFECT OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORT, PARTICULARLY THOSE MODES RUNNING PARALLEL SERVICES INCLUDING ONE GREEN MINIBUS ROUTE AND TWO KOWLOON MOTOR BUS SERVICES.
THE ADMINISTRATION WAS CONSIDERING POSSIBLE RATIONALISATION SUCH SERVICES. HE ADDED.
OF
FIGURES GIVEN ON WASTAGE HATE OF LIAISON OFFICERS
THE WASTAGE RATE OF THE LIAISON OFFICER GRADE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES REGION OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS HAD RANGED FROM A HIGH OF 10.4 PER CENT IN 1980-81 TO A LOW OF 0.8 PER CENT IN 1986-87
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