XN000022-1984-06-06 — Page 6

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 1984

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ON CONSULTATION WITH THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD WAS CONSULTED ON MAY 24 ON THE GENERAL QUESTION OF POSSIBLE IEC BUS SERVICES, THE TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE HAVE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED THE MATTER IN MARCH. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONSULT THE DISTRICT BOARD ON FARES AT THAT STAGE SINCE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINA MOTOR BUS COMPANY WERE STILL UNDER WAY. SINCE AGREEMENT WAS ONLY SUBSEQUENTLY REACHED WITH THE COMPANY ON THE FIVE ROUTES AND RELATED FARES FOR BUSES OPERATING VIA THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TIME TO FURTHER CONSULT THE EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD ON THIS MATTER IN VIEW OF THE IMMINENT OPENING OF THE IEC AND THE NEED TO AVOID DEPRIVING THE PUBLIC OF BUS SERVICES ON THIS CORRIDOR. THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT INFORMED THE DISTRICT OFFICER, EASTERN ON MAY 29, 1984, AS SOON AS AGREEMENT WAS REACHED, AND HE PROMPTLY INFORMED THE DISTRICT'S TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE AND WRITTEN INFORMATION WAS GIVEN TO EASTERN DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.

THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE FIVE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR BUS ROUTES ARE TEMPORARY AND WILL BE REVIEWED NOT ONLY IN THE LIGHT OF THE IR PATRONAGE BUT ALSO IN THE LIGHT OF THE OVERALL PATTERN OF PATRONAGE OF OTHER TRANSPORT MODES.

NOTE :

THE FOLLOWING IS THE REPLY BY THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT TO A LETTER ADDRESSED TO HIM BY THE PEOPLE'S COALITION FOR THE MONITORING OF PUBLIC UTILITIES AND THE COMMITTEE OF CONCERN ON PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD IN CHAI WAN ON THE IEC BUS FARES:

+DEAR SIR,

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LETTER OF THE 2ND JUNE ABOUT THE FARES OF THE FIVE TEMPORARY BUS SERVICES ON THE ISLAND EASTERN CORRIDOR.

THE ANXIETY YOU EXPRESS THAT HIGH BUS FARES ARE BEING IMPOSED IN ORDER TO WEAKEN THE COMPETITIVENESS OF BUS SERVICES IS BASED ON A MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE POSITION. THE FARES SET ON A TEMPORARY BASIS FOR THE FIVE SERVICES TO OPERATE VIA THE IEC, TWO BETWEEN CENTRAL AND SHAU KEI WAN, ONE BETWEEN CENTRAL AND TAI KOO SHING AND TWO BETWEEN CENTRAL AND CHAI WAN, HAVE BEEN SET IN ACCORDANCE WITH ROAD TRAFFIC POLICY AND CONDITIONS,

AND NOT WITH REGARD TO THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE MTR.

FURTHER, THE EXISTING BUS SERVICES ON THE KING'S ROAD WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED AND THERE IS NO INTENTION TO RASIE THE FARE LEVELS OF THOSE SERVICES, EITHER NOW OR LATER, TO THE LEVELS NOW DETERMINED FOR THE NEW TEC ROUTES. THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE EXISTING BUS SERVICES, AND IN ADDITION THE CHOICE OF USING THE IEC ROUTES, YOUR ANXIETY THAT THE NEW IEC ROUTE FARES WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE COST OF LIVING IS THEREFORE WITHOUT FOUNDATION.

/IT IS