XN000022-1978-12-20 — Page 18

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WEDNANDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1978

BUS SERVICES IN CENTRAL AND WAX FU

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TWO NEW BUS TERMINI WERE BEING BUILT IN THE MTR ADMIRALTY STATION TO BETTER MEET EXISTING NEEDS AND TO CATER FOR FUTURE DEMANDS OF COMMUTERS, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. DEREK JONES TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN REPLY TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. PETER C. WONG, MR. JONES SAID PLANS WERE ALSO IN HAND TO EXTEND THE CENTRAL BUS STATION EASTWARD TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DEPARTURE PLATFORMS AND, IN THE LONGER TERM, CONSIDERATION WAS BEING GIVEN TO PROVIDING A NEW TERMINUS ON THE SITE OF THE PRESENT CENTRAL MARKET.

ON EXISTING BUS SERVICES IN CENTRAL, MR. JONES SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE ADEQUACY OF THE SERVICE AND THE PROBLEM WAS MAINLY DUE TO LACK OF SUITABLE TERMINAL AND KERBSIDE STOPPING FACILITIES.

HE POINTED OUT THAT AT PRESENT 17 BUS ROUTES PROVIDING ABOUT 120 DEPARTURES AND CARRYING ABOUT 13,500 PASSENGERS IN A PEAK HOUR WERE OPERATED FROM THE CENTRAL BUS STATION.

IN ADDITION, NINE SERVICES TERMINATING ON-STREET IN CENTRAL PROVIDED ABOUT 60 DEPARTURES CARRYING ABOUT 8,500 PASSENGERS IN A PEAK HOUR.

HE SAID THE ON-STREET TERMINATION OF BUS SERVICES COULD CAUSE CONSIDERABLE CONGESTION IN THE ROADS AFFECTED.

HOWEVER, HE SAID ONCE THE NEW BUS FACILITIES WERE PROVIDED IN CENTRAL, IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE CONSIDERABLY TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE AND IN THE MEANTIME, ADDITIONAL ROUTES WERE BEING

INTRODUCED WHEREVER POSSIBLE.

MR. JONES ALSO NOTED THAT THE OPENING OF THE CROSS-HARBOUR SECTION OF THE MTR IN MARCH 1980 WOULD REDUCE SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON BUS SERVICES IN CENTRAL AND THE INTERCHANGE FACILITIES AT ADMIRALTY STATION WOULD ALSO BRING CONSIDERABLE

IMPROVEMENT.

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION FROM THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, MR. JONES SAID THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN CONSULTING WITH CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY FOR SOME TIME NOW ABOUT THE PROVISION OF NEW AND IMPROVED SERVICES TO WAH FU ESTATE TO COPE WITH THE BUILD-UP OF POPULATION.

HE SAID SOME IMPROVEMENTS HAD ALREADY BEEN INTRODUCED, SUCH AS THE EXTENSION OF ROUTES 40, 48, 73 AND 74 TO THE NEW BUS TERMINUS IN THE ESTATE, AND THE NEW TERRITORIES CROSS-HARBOUR ROUTE 170 TO THE ESTATE.

HE SAID EVEN WITH THESE MEASURES, THE LEVEL OF SERVICES WAS NOT SUFFICIENT AND THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WAS CONSIDERING FURTHER PLANS TO PROVIDE THREE NEW SERVICES AND TO IMPROVE THE FREQUENCIES ON EXISTING ROUTES.

MR. JONES ALSO POINTED OUT THAT CMB IN ADDITION TO ITS OUTSTANDING ORDERS FOR 127 NEW BUSES, MOSTLY LARGE CAPACITY DOUBLE-DECKERS, RECENTLY DECIDED TO PLACE ORDERS FOR A FURTHER 140 NEW BUSES.

+WHEN THESE BUSES ARE DELIVERED THERE SHOULD BE A CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT IN SERVICES OVERALL, INCLUDING SERVICES TO WAH FU, HE SAID.