WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1994
35
KMB RESTRUCTURING PROPOSALS
FOLLOWING IS A QUESTION BY THE HON FRED LI WAH-MING AND
IN WRITTEN REPLY BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR HAIDER BARMA, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):
A
THE
QUESTION : THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY'S PLAN TO RESTRUCTURE 23 OF ITS URBAN BUS ROUTES TO 13 ROUTES WILL AFFECT PASSENGERS IN THAT THEY WILL. HAVE то USE MORE EXPENSIVE MODES OF TRANSPORT, CHANGE BUSES MORE FREQUENTLY OR PAY HIGHER FARES. IN VIEW OF THIS, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL OF THE FOLLOWING
(A) THE ACTUAL EFFECTS OF THE RESTRUCTURING ON THE PASSENGERS TRAVELLING ON THE ORIGINAL 23 ROUTES, SUCH AS
THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS AFFECTED ON EACH ROUTE, THE NUMBER OF BUS STOPS TO BE ADDED OR CANCELLED ON EACH ROUTE AFTER RESTRUCTURING AND ITS FARE CHANGES;
(B)
(C)
THE
CRITERIA USED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN EXAMINING THE RESTRUCTURING PLAN AND WHETHER MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WILL BE CONSULTED; AND
WHAT CORRESPONDING MEASURES THE GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE TO REDRESS THE INCONVENIENCE CAUSED TO THE PUBLIC AS A RESULT OF THE RESTRUCTURING, SUCH AS INTRODUCING NEW GREEN MINIBUS ROUTES IN THE AFFECTED AREAS?
REPLY:
MR PRESIDENT,
THE
THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY LIMITED (KMB) HAS TAKEN INITIATIVE IN CONDUCTING A THOROUGH REVIEW OF ITS BUS SERVICES IN URBAN KOWLOON AND HAS COME UP WITH A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS TO RESTRUCTURE 23 ROUTES. ITS RECOMMENDATION IS TO RATIONALISE SERVICES WITH A VIEW TO IMPROVING OPERATING EFFICIENCY, FREQUENCIES, ROUTEINGS AND SERVICE QUALITY.
160,000
KMB HAS ADVISED THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE EXISTING PASSENGERS TRAVELLING ON THESE 23 ROUTES EACH DAY WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED. MOST RESTRUCTURING PROPOSALS INVOLVE ROUTE COMBINATIONS WHICH DO NOT NECESSARILY MEAN A CUT IN SERVICE. ON THE CONTRARY, THOSE USING THE RESTRUCTURED ROUTES WOULD FIND THE SERVICES MORR FREQUENT AND RELIABLE AND SOME PASSENGERS WOULD ENJOY LOWER SECTION FARES. THERE WOULD ALSO BE EXTENSIONS ON SOME ROUTES TO PROVIDE NEW LINKS. SOME ROUTES WOULD BE UPGRADED TO AIR-CONDITIONED SERVICES. IF THE RESTRUCTURING PROPOSALS ARE IMPLEMENTED, THERE SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS IN OPERATING COSTS FOR KMB AND LESS KMB BUS FARES.
WOULD
BE
PRESSURE
ON
/KMB IS