XN000022-1975-07-27 — Page 3

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SUNDAY, JULY 27, 1975

THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY CARRIED MORE THAN 103 MILLION PASSENGERS, NEARLY 16 MILLION OR 18.1 PER CENT MORE THAN IN THE FIRST HALF OF LAST YEAR.

MR. MILLER SAID THE CROSS-HARBOUR ROUTES INTRODUCED BY THE TWO BUS COMPANIES WERE THE MAIN FACTOR FOR THE INCREASE IN PASSENGER FIGURES, ANOTHER REASON BEING THE INTRODUCTION OF URBAN EXPRESS SERVICES AND NEW COACH SERVICES FOR OFFICE WORKERS AND FORMER PRIVATE CAR USERS.

HE SAID THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS USING CROSS-HARBOUR FERRY SERVICES DECLINED BY ABOUT 4.5 MILLION OR 4.7 PER CENT TO 90.7 MILLION IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, BUT 9.3 PER CENT MORE, OR 7.4 MILLION PASSENGERS, USED SERVICES TO OUTLYING ISLANDS AND OTHER RESORTS.

ON PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES, HE SAID THERE WAS DOUBT AMONG TRANSPORT PLANNERS AS TO WHETHER AS MANY PEOPLE AS 1.2 MILLION, ESTIMATED IN 1973, WERE STILL USING THIS MODE OF TRANSPORT EACH DAY.

+THEIR FEELING IS THAT THE DAILY FIGURE IS NOW MUCH SMALLER AND THAT A MORE EVIDENT DECLINE WOULD SHOW IN THE NEAR FUTURE. HOWEVER, THERE WERE 4,308 PLBS LICENSED AT THE END OF LAST MONTH, COMPARED TO 3,943 IN JANUARY 1974, + HE SAID.

THE REASONS THEY SUGGEST FOR THE REDUCTION IN PLB PASSENGERS ARE THE INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUS SERVICES IN URBAN AREAS WHERE MOST PLES OPERATE, AND THE CHARGING OF ARBITRARY FARES BY OPERATORS DURING PEAK HOURS, HE SAID.

THE INCREASING POPULARITY OF THE CROSS-HARBOUR BUS ROUTES AT CHEAPER FARES COULD WELL BE ANOTHER FACTOR, HE ADDED.

AS REGARDS TAXIS AND HIRE CARS, MR, MILLER SAID THEY CARRIED A RELATIVELY SMALL PROPORTION, ABOUT 12 PER CENT, OF THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC, AND IT WAS FELT THAT THE REVISED STANDARD FARE OF $2 FOR THE FIRST MILE MIGHT HAVE DISCOURAGED TAXI USAGE. AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 6,037 TAXIS AND PUBLIC HIRE CARS, AS COMPARED TO 2,164 BUSES.

IN THE TRAFFIC SCENE. ROAD CONGESTION HAS GENERALLY EASED. A RECENT SURVEY SHOWS THAT THE BAN ON KERBSIDE STOPPING BY VEHICLES AND THE PROHIBITION OF PLBS IN SOME PART OF CENTRAL DISTRICT DURING PEAK HOURS HAS IMPROVED TRAFFIC FLOW THERE.

MR. MILLER SAID: THE INTRODUCTION OF 'BUS ONLY LANES' AND 'TRAM RESERVES' IN SOME. SECTION OF CENTRAL DISTRICT, PARTICULARLY THE BLACK SPOTS BETWEEN QUEENSWAY AND CENTRAL MARKET, IS EXPECTED TO FURTHER IMPROVE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS.+

/HE POINT D