XN000022-1976-03-03 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1976

NO INCREASE IN TAXI FARES ****

THE GOVERNMENT HAS REACTED SHARPLY TO REPORTS IN SEVERAL CHINESE AND ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS THAT TAXI FARES MIGHT BE INCREASED FOLLOWING THE RECENT RISE IN DIESEL FUEL PRICES.

A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE CHAIRMAN OF A TAXI AND LORRY OWNERS ASSOCIATION HAD CALLED FOR AN INCREASE IN TAXI FARES AND WAS WIDELY QUOTED AS SAYING THAT BUS FARES HAD GONE UP TWICE IN THREE MONTHS.

+THIS IS NOT SO, HE SAID. +FARES ON TRAMS AND THE STAR FERRY WERE INCREASED IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR AND CMB BUS FARES ON MARCH 1.+

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE EXTRA 30 CENTS A GALLON ON DIESEL FUEL ANNOUNCED IN LAST WEEK'S BUDGET WOULD HAVE ONLY A FRACTIONAL EFFECT ON OPERATING COSTS. HE SAID THIS WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY A CHANGE IN TAXI FARES.

HE ALSO SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD PERMITTED TAXIS, AND PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES, TO DISPLAY INTERNAL ADVERTISING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.

·

+THIS WILL BRING IN ABOUT $2,500 A YEAR EXTRA INCOME FOR EACH OF THE 4,754 TAXIS, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, WHEN METRICATION IS INTRODUCED IN 1977, TAXI FARES WILL BE BASED ON KILOMETRE DISTANCES. THE PRESENT CHARGES WILL HAVE TO BE REVIEWED THEN.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT PROPOSALS ON THE NEW RATES WILL BE CONSIDERED LATER IN THE YEAR.

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