XN000022-1986-04-25 — Page 3

FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 1986

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APPROVAL FOR HIGHER GREEN MINIBUS FARES

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THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAS GIVEN APPROVAL FOR SIX GREEN MINIBUS PACKAGES IN KOWLOON COMPRISING 12 ROUTES TO INCREASE THEIR FARES FROM NEXT THURSDAY (MAY 1).

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THE FARE INCREASES FOR THESE ROUTES SHUI PO. KWUN TONG, WONG TAI SIN, KOWLOON SHA TSUI EAST-RANGE FROM 20 CENTS TO $1. CHARGE UP TO THE NEW FARE CEILINGS.

WHICH OPERATE IN SHAM

CITY, MONG KOK AND TSIM

ONLY FIVE OF THESE WOULD

A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT APPROVAL WAS GIVEN AFTER CAREFUL EXAMINATION OF THE OPERATING DETAILS AND FINANCIAL RETURNS SUBMITTED BY GREEN MINIBUS OPERATORS.

APPLICATIONS FOR FARE INCREASES BY ANOTHER SIX PACKAGES OF GREEN MINIBUS IN KOWLOON COMPRISING 15 ROUTES ARE BEING EXAMINED.

SO FAR, 13 GREEN MINIBUS PACKAGES IN KOWLOON HAD APPLIED FOR A FARE REVISION BUT ONE PACKAGE LATER WITHDREW ITS APPLICATION. AT PRESENT, THERE ARE 16 PACKAGES OF GREEN MINIBUS COMPRISING 36 ROUTES OPERATING IN KOWLOON,

OPERATORS ARE REQUIRED TO INFORM PASSENGERS OF THE FARE REVISION BY PUTTING UP NOTICES AT THE GREEN MINIBUS TERMINI AND INSIDE VEHICLES, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE APPROVAL FOR HIGHER FARE CEILINGS FOLLOWED CAREFUL ANALYSIS OF THE TRADE'S OPERATING ECONOMICS IN 1985. IT WAS FOUND THAT SINGE THE LAST SURVEY IN 1982, THE OVERALL OPERATING COSTS PER GREEN MINIBUS HAD GONE UP BY 12 PER CENT WHILE THE REGIONAL INCREASE FOR KOWLOON WAS 29 PER CENT.

FARE CEILINGS FOR GREEN MINIBUS SERVICES WERE LAST REVISED IN JULY 1982.

LANTAO BUS COMPANY FARE RISE APPROVED ****

THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A FARE INCREASE FOR THE NEW LANTAO BUS COMPANY (NLB) TO TAKE EFFECT ON MAY 1 THIS YEAR. NLB'S LAST FARE INCREASE WAS IN APRIL 1983.

IN MONEY TERMS, 72 PER CENT OF THE EXISTING PASSENGERS USING NLB SERVICES ON MONDAYS TO SATURDAYS, WILL HAVE TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL 10 CENTS TO 30 CENTS WHILE THE REMAINING 28 PER CENT WILL HAVE TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL 50 CENTS.

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ON SUNDAYS .....................