XN000022-1978-07-08 — Page 10

SATURDAY, JULY 8, 1978

OPERATING HOURS OF CMB ROUTE 82 EXTENDED

*****

THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT FROM MONDAY (JULY 10) A 22-HOUR SERVICE WILL BE OPERATED BY CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY ON ROUTE 82 BETWEEN CHAI WAN (ON YIP STREET) AND NORTH POINT FERRY FROM 4.30 A.M. UNTIL 2.30 A.M. THE FOLLOWING DAY.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE FREQUENCY ON THIS ROUTE WILL BE INCREASED FROM SIX TO FIVE MINUTES.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SAID THIS IS A FURTHER IMPROVEMENT SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE NO. 82 BUS ROUTE IN APRIL THIS YEAR.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE EXTENSION IN THE OPERATING HOURS OF ROUTE 82 IS AIMED AT MEETING THE TRANSPORT NEEDS OF THOSE RESIDENTS AND WORKERS WHO EITHER TRAVEL HOME LATE OR WORK LATE IN FACTORIES IN THE ON YIP STREET AREA.

SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PLB PROHIBITION IN THE SECTION OF CHAI WAN ROAD EAST OF WAN TSUI ROAD IN APRIL, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED REQUESTS FROM RESIDENTS AND FACTORY OWNERS TO EXTEND HOURS OF BUS SERVICES,

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE TWO ALL-NIGHT CROSS HARBOUR ROUTES 121 AND 122, ROUTE 82 OPERATING ON A 22-HOUR BASIS WILL HAVE THE LONGEST OPERATING HOURS OF ALL CMB SERVICES.

THIS EXPERIMENTAL SERVICE WILL LATER BE ASSESSED TO SEE IF IT IS OFFERING A USEFUL FACILITY TO THE COMMUNITY,

THERE ARE NOW EIGHT BUS SERVICES OPERATING DAILY IN THE CHAI WAN AREA LINKING WITH OTHER DISTRICTS. IN THE PEAK HOURS, 74 BUS DEPARTURES PER HOUR ARE OPERATED CARRYING A MINIMUM OF 8,640 PASSENGERS IN EACH DIRECTION.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE NEED FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT FACILITIES IN CHAI WAN AND, IN FACT, IN ALL OTHER HOUSING ESTATES, IS REGULARLY REVIEWED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SO THAT ANY FUTURE DEMAND GENERATED BY NEW DEVELOPMENTS CAN BE ADEQUATELY MET.

SINCE APRIL THIS YEAR, PUBLIC LIGHT BUSES HAVE BEEN PROHIBITED FROM THE SECTION OF CHAI WAN ROAD EAST OF WAN TSUI ROAD, THE PICKING UP AND SETTING DOWN ACTIVITIES ARE NOW CONTAINED IN A PROPER OFF-STREET PLB TERMINUS IN LEE CHUNG STREET WHERE THEY CAN CONVENIENTLY SERVE PASSENGERS WITHOUT CAUSING ANY UNNECESSARY CONGESTION.

/10

Page 10Page 11