XN000022-1977-12-18 — Page 2

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1977

DEMAND FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT CONTINUES TO GROW

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THE DEMAND FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT FACILITIES CONTINUES TO GROW AND THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS USING FRANCHISED BUS SERVICES IN THE FIRST TEN MONTHS THIS YEAR HAS REACHED A RECORD HIGH.

ACCORDING TO STATISTICS COMPILED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT, OVER 1,140 MILLION PASSENGERS WERE CARRIED IN BUSES, FERRIES, TRAMS AND THE RAILWAY DURING THE TEN-MONTH PERIOD.

THIS SHOWS AN INCREASE OF 91.7 MILLION PASSENGERS OR 8.7 PER CENT OVER THE SAME PERIOD OF 1976. MOST OF THE INCREASE WAS ON FRANCHISED BUS SERVICES. THE THREE MAJOR BUS COMPANIES ARE NOW CARRYING 2.9 MILLION PASSENGERS A DAY COMPARED TO 2.6 MILLION IN THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD OF LAST YEAR.

THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY, WITH A FLEET OF 1,712 BUSES INTRODUCED 10 ADDITIONAL ROUTES DURING THE YEAR-AND NOW CARRIES AN AVERAGE OF 2.2 MILLION PASSENGERS A DAY ON 158 ROUTES. THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS INCREASED BY 13.3 PER CENT COMPARED TO THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

THE 10 NEW ROUTES INCLUDE FIVE SERVING NEW HOUSING ESTATES, INCLUDING CHEUNG CHING, LAI YIU AND TAI HING.

IN ADDITION, THE FREQUENCY AND CARRYING CAPACITY HAVE BEEN INCREASED ON 17 ROUTES SERVING EXISTING HOUSING ESTATES. THE 16 EXPRESS COACH SERVICES NOW CARRY AN AVERAGE OF 31,400 PASSENGERS PER DAY: 3,300 USE THE TWO AIRPORT COACH SERVICES. ONE NEW COACH ROUTE CONNECTING STAR FERRY AND LAI YIU WAS INTRODUCED DURING THE YEAR.

THE DAILY AVERAGE TOTAL MILEAGE RUN BY K.M. B. BUSES IS 200,000, REPRESENTING AN INCREASE OF 5.3 PER CENT OVER SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY WITH A FLEET OF 744 BUSES HAS INTRODUCED FOUR NEW ROUTES DURING THE YEAR AND NOW CARRIES AN AVERAGE OF 654,000 PASSENGERS A DAY ON 70 ROUTES.

PASSENGER VOLUME HAS SHOWN A 4.5 PER CENT INCREASE OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR DUE MAINLY TO THE INCREASED USE OF LARGER CAPACITY BUSES. IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON EIGHT ROUTES

INCLUDING THE ONE TO WAH FU ESTATE.

THE DAILY AVERAGE TOTAL MILEAGE RUN BY THE COMPANY'S BUSES IS 70,200, REPRESENTING A DECLINE OF 2.5 PER CENT OVER THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.

DEMAND FOR THE CROSS HARBOUR BUS SERVICES CONTINUES TO GROW AND THE 14 ROUTES JOINTLY OPERATED BY K.M.B. AND C.M.B. NOW CARRY 347,700 PASSENGERS A DAY.

/TRAFFIC ON