MONDAY, MARCH 8, 1993
ON CMB, MEMBERS TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE DISCONTINUATION OF THE SCHEME OF CONTROL IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR; THE RELIABILITY AND QUALITY OF ITS SERVICE AND THE IMPACT OF THE REDUCTION OF 26 ROUTES THIS SEPTEMBER.
MEMBERS GENERALLY FELT THAT THERE WAS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR CMB IN PROVIDING BETTER QUALITY BUS SERVICE. THEY NOTED THAT CMB PLANNED TO INTRODUCE EIGHT NEW ROUTES, IMPROVE FREQUENCY ON 14 EXISTING ROUTES AND CONVERT FOUR ROUTES TO AIR-CONDITIONED OPERATION BETWEEN 1993 AND 1995.
CMB WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO PURSUE COST ECONOMY MEASURES ΤΟ IMPROVE OPERATING EFFICIENCY AND TO REDUCE OPERATING COSTS. THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO DISCUSS WITH CMB THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING A CONCESSIONARY FARE SCHEME IN LINE WITH OTHER FRANCHISED BUS OPERATORS.
HAVING CONSIDERED THE FINANCIAL POSITIONS AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS OF THE TWO BUS COMPANIES, TAC RECOMMENDED LOWER PERCENTAGES OF INCREASES THAN THOSE SOUGHT BY THE COMPANIES,
TAC ALSO RECOMMENDED SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THE PROPOSED FARES STRUCTURES IN ORDER TO HOLD DOWN THE RATES OF INCREASES.
TAC'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FARE INCREASE APPLICATIONS BY THE TWO BUS COMPANIES WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION SHORTLY.
AT THE MEETING, MEMBERS WERE ALSO BRIEFED ON THE CMB'S FORWARD PLANNING PROGRAMME FOR 1993/1997, INCLUDING IT'S ROUTE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, DEPOT PROGRAMME, PATRONAGE FORECAST AND ITS FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
CENTRAL/WANCHAI RECLAMATION TENDERS EXTENDED
IN RESPONSE TO MEDIA ENQUIRIES, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT THE TWO LOWEST TENDERERS FOR THE CENTRAL AND WANCHAI RECLAMATION CONTRACT HAD AGREED TO EXTEND THE VALIDITY OF THEIR TENDERS FOR A FURTHER MONTH FROM MARCH 8 TO APRIL 6 THIS YEAR.
THE RECLAMATION WILL PROVIDE LAND POR A NUMBER OF PURPOSES WHICH WILL BE OF VALUE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG.
THE
IT IS PARTLY DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE THE AIRPORT RAILWAY'S HONG KONG STATION; BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES NEW LAND FOR EXPANSION OF CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AND LONG-TERM HIGHWAY DEVELOPMENT.
"THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO THE AIRPORT RAILWAY, WHICH IS PART OF THE AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME, IS UNDIMINISHED.
"THIS EXTENSION OF THE TENDER VALIDITY PERIOD WILL GIVE THE GOVERNMENT MORE TIME TO CONSIDER ITS OPTIONS ON THE RECLAMATION, IN LINE WITH ITS STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH TO DECISIONS ON THE AIRPORT PROGRAMME, HE SAID.
CORE
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