XN000022-1985-12-04 — Page 26

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1985

24

MOVE TO DEREGULATE PEAK TRAM FARES

****

A BILL TO DEREGULATE FARES ON THE PEAK TRAM AND TO. REPLACE THE EXISTING PERMIT FEE SYSTEM WITH A LONG-TERM RIGHT FOR THE PEAK TRAMWAY COMPANY TO OPERATE THE TRAMWAY WAS INTRODUCED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE PEAK TRAMWAY (AMENDMENT) BILL 1985, SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON IAN MACPHERSON, POINTED OUT THAT THE PEAK TRAM WAS NO LONGER AN ESSENTIAL FORM OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, AND FEW PEOPLE RELIED ON IT FOR COMMUTING.

+AS THE PEAK TRAMWAY IS NOW LARGELY A RECREATIONAL FACILITY, FARE CONTROL BY GOVERNMENT IS NO LONGER JUSTIFIED, HE SAID.

TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO DO USE THE PEAK TRAMWAY FOR COMMUTING, MR MACPHERSON SAID THE BILL ALSO PROVIDED THAT THE MONTHLY TICKET ISSUED BY THE COMPANY WAS NOT TO EXCEED 25 TIMES THE LOWEST FARE FOR A FULL DISTANCE SINGLE JOURNEY.

IN RESPONSE TO SUGGESTIONS BY UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS THAT THE BILL SHOULD BE STRENGTHENED BY IMPOSING A FIRM OBLIGATION ON THE COMPANY TO 'ISSUE MONTHLY TICKETS, HE SAID HE WOULD MOVE AN AMENDMENT TO THAT EFFECT AT THE COMMITTEE STAGE.

ON A NEW SYSTEM TO CHARGE THE COMPANY FOR USING GOVERNMENT LAND TO OPERATE THE SERVICE, MR MACPHERSON SAID: +THE BILL GIVES THE COMPANY A RIGHT TO OPERATE THE TRAMWAY FOR 20 YEARS WITH EFFECT FROM JANUARY 1, 1984, SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE PEAK TRAMWAY ORDINANCE AND THE PAYMENT OF A PREMIUM OF $2.6 MILLION,+

THE BILL ALSO PROVIDED FOR THE DELETION OF AN OBSOLETE PROVISION OF THE ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE POWER OF GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL TO PURCHASE THE COMPANY AFTER EXPIRATION OF 28 YEARS FROM THE TIME WHEN THE COMPANY WAS EMPOWERED TO CONSTRUCT THE TRAMWAY AND EVERY SEVEN YEARS THEREAFTER.

*THE ABOVE PACKAGE OF MEASURES SERVES TO REFLECT THE PRESENT STATUS OF THE PEAK TRAM AS A RECREATION FACILITY AND IT STREAMLINES THE ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE PEAK TRAM TO CONTINUE ITS OPERATION AS A COMMERCIAL UNDERTAKING,+ MR MACPHERSON SAID.

/25