XN000022-1988-08-19 — Page 6

5.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1988

EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN TRANSPORT SERVICES BEFORE LRT OPENS

THE KOWLOON MOTOR BUS COMPANY AND THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY CORPORATION HAVE AGREED TO AN ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL ENSURE THE CONTINUITY OF BUS SERVICES IN THE TUEN MUN/YURN LONG AREA UNTIL THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT OPENS.

THE AGREEMENT WAS REACHED TODAY (FRIDAY) AT A MEETING CHAIRED BY THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR RICHARD MEAKIN, AND ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMPANY AND THE CORPORATION.

AT THE MEETING, MR MEAKIN ADVISED THAT THE LRT SYSTEM WAS LIKELY TO OPEN TO PASSENGER SERVICE PROGRESSIVELY FROM THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER.

"THE OPENING PROGRAMME HAS YET то BE FIXED, PENDING THE PROGRESS OF THE MODIFICATION WORKS RECOMMENDED BY THE UK RAILWAY INSPECTOR, MR ALAN COOKSEY, IN HIS SAFETY REPORT,' HE SAID.

T

"IT IS THEREFORE ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT

TO LOCAL RESIDENTS BEFORE THE LRT OPENS."

BUS SERVICES

REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH KMB AND KCRC INDICATED THAT THEY ACCEPTED THE NECESSITY OF CONTINUING TO OPERATE THESE BUS SERVICES UNTIL THE OPENING OF THE LRT SYSTEM.

KMB WILL CONTINUE то OPERATE

UNDER THE AGREED ARRANGEMENT,

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NO. 55, 56, 598, 61, 62 AND 638

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WILL CONTINUE TO BE RUN BY

THE KCRC.

ROUTES 59, 61A AND 63 IN TUEN MUN AND YUEN LONG, WHILE THE OTHER SIX ROUTES

BOTH OPERATORS NOTED THAT THE RESUMPTION OF THE SCHOOL TERM IN THE FIRST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER WOULD INCREASE DEMAND FOR ALL BUS SERVICES, AND SOME CAPACITY INCREASES, BY THE SUBSTITUTION

OF DOUBLE DECKERS FOR SINGLE DECKERS, WOULD ENABLE THESE DEMANDS TO BE FULLY MET.

THE KCRC POINTED OUT THAT A NUMBER OF THE BUSES CURRENTLY HIRED TO OPERATE THE SHA TIN AND TAI PO FEEDER SERVICES AND INTERNAL TRANSIT SERVICE AREA SERVICES WOULD REVERT то SCHOOL CONTRACTS IN SEPTEMBER.

KMB HAD AGREED TO HIRE OUT 10 OR MORE DOUBLE DECK BUSES TO KCRC IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE CORPORATION'S BUS FLEET CAPACITY.

KCRC WOULD ACCELERATE THE LICENSING OF ITS NEW DOUBLE DECKER

BUSES.

/KMB HAD