XN000022-1982-03-02 — Page 3

TUESDAY, MARCH 2, 1982

2.

MOST OF THE ORDINARY CLASS FARES FOR THE OUTER SUBURBAN SERVICE WILL BE .10 CENTS OR 20 CENTS HIGHER THAN AT PRESENT. ONE FARE WILL BE 50 CENTS HIGHER WHILE THE FARES FOR FOUR SECTIONS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED. THE AVERAGE INCREASE WILL BE ABOUT 14 PER CENT.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE NEW FARE STRUCTURE REFLECTED HIGHER OPERATING COSTS DUE TO INFLATION AND ARISING FROM THE IMPROVED SERVICE ITSELF.

THE COST OF DIESEL FUEL ALONE HAS RISEN BY MORE THAN 100 PER CENT SINCE THE LAST REVISION OF FARES IN APRIL 1980, AND

ADDITIONAL STAFF HAVE TO BE RECRUITED AND TRAINED TO OPERATE THE NEW AND MORE FREQUENT SERVICE. OTHER FACTORS INCLUDE A HEAVY INCREASE IN THE CONSUMPTION OF ELECTRICITY AND THE MORE SOPHISTICATED MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS OF THE IMPROVED SYSTEM.

+EVEN WITH THE FARE REVISION, THE THIRD IN 35 YEARS, THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY WILL STILL HAVE A SMALL DEFICIT ON DIRECT OPERATING COSTS, NOT INCLUDING DEPRECIATION, HE ADDED.

PROVIDING MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE NEW ELECTRIFIED SERVICE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE MODERN ROLLING STOCK AND HIGH TECHNOLOGY INVOLVED WERE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A PUNCTUAL AND RELIABLE SERVICE.

TRAVELLING TIMES FROM KOWLOON WILL BE FOUR MINUTES TO MONG KOK, 12 MINUTES TO SHA TIN, 26 MINUTES TO TAI PO MARKET AND 39 MINUTES TO LO WU, OR ABOUT TWICE AS FAST AS AT PRESENT.

STATION STOPPING TIMES WILL BE VERY SHORT, AND FOR THIS REASON THE FLOOR HEIGHT OF THE NEW TRAINS AND STATIONS HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO MAXIMISE THE SPEED OF PASSENGER MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF THE TRAINS. THE NEW STATION AT KOWLOON TONG WILL PROVIDE A QUICK AND EASY MEANS OF TRANSFERRING FROM THE KCR TO THE MTR.

THE ELECTRIC TRAINS, WHICH WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH 3 WIDE POWER-OPERATED SLIDING DOORS ON EACH SIDE OF EACH COACH, WILL BE

FULLY AIR-CONDITIONED.

EACH SET OF TRAINS CONSISTS OF 3 VEHICLES AND CAN BE MULTIPLIED INTO A TOTAL OF 12 VEHICLES. EACH SET WILL HAVE A CAPACITY FOR 256 SEATED PASSENGERS AND ABOUT 590 STANDING PASSENGERS.

THE INNER SUBURBAN TRAINS WILL BE ORDINARY CLASS ONLY WHILE THE OUTER SUBURBAN TRAINS WILL HAVE BOTH FIRST AND ORDINARY CLASS ACCOMMODATION TOGETHER WITH TOILETS AND BAGGAGE COMPARTMENTS.

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