XN000022-1974-05-14 — Page 7

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TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1974.

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STEPS TO REDUCE OVERCROWDING ON TUNNEL BUSES

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HAVE

THE TWO FRANCHISED BUS COMPANIES KMB AND CMB MOUNTED A JOINT CAMPAIGN WITH THE BACKING OF THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TO MINIMISE OVERCROWDING ON CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL SERVICES.

ON HONG KONG ISLAND, CMB HAS ASSIGNED 40 ADDITIONAL STAFF TO QUEJE DUTIES AT THE SIX BUS STOPS ON EACH ROUTE LEADING TO THE TUNNEL ENTRANCE. AT THE SAME TIME 'ROVING INSPECTORS' ARE BEING EMPLOYED TO KEEP A CHECK ON THE SITUATION.

IN KOWLOON, AN EXTRA 17 KMB STEFF ARE BEING STATIONED AT THE MAIN TUNNEL BUS STOPS TO REGULATE THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS ALLOWED TO BOARD THE BUSES.

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A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THAT THE COMPANIES HAVE GIVEN THEIR STAFF STRICT INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO LINIT THE HUMBER OF PASSENGERS TO AVOID UNDUE OVERCROWDING.

+WHILE THIS MAY, ON OCCASIONS, RESULT IN SOME DELAY IN GETTING ON BUSES, PASSENGERS ARE ASKED TO CO-OPERATE WITH BUS DRIVERS AND SUPERVISORY STAFF WHO ARE MERELY ATTEMPTING TO CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES.

+ONCE THE DRIVER, CONDUCTOR OR REGULATOR HAS SAID THAT THE BUS IS FULL, PEOPLE SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FORCE THEIR WAY ONTO THE BUS,+ HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT IT WAS IN THEIR OWN INTERESTS NOT TO CAUSE OVERCROWDING WHICH COULD JEOPARDISE THEIR SAFETY.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE COMPANIES ARE TRYING TO MINIMISE DELAYS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. BOTH KMB AND CMB HAVE NEW BUSES ON ORDER AND FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL SERVICES, AS WELL AS URBAN SERVICES, MAY BE POSSIBLE WHEN THESE VEHICLES ARE DELIVERED.

MEANWHILE, HE SAID, THE URBAN SERVICES CANNOT BE SACRIFICED SIMPLY TO SUPPLEMENT THE TUNNEL RUN.

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