XN000022-1990-06-13 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1990

LADY WILSON SAID COMMUNITY SUPPORT HAD BUILT THE CHEST INTO AN INSTITUTION THAT NOW REQUIRED EVEN GREATER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO SUFFERED UNFAIRLY FROM THE ACCIDENTS OF LIFE.

"WE SHALL HAVE TO GO FURTHER THAN LAST YEAR, BECAUSE NEEDS GROW AND COSTS RISE.

"WE WILL AGAIN NEED THE PERSONAL SUPPORT OF MEMBERS AND OUR PATRONS, WHO HAVE HELPED SO MUCH WITH APPEALS," SHE SAID.

ALL OUR BOARD THEIR PERSONAL

EXCO APPROVES NEW FARES FOR NT AND LANTAU TAXIS

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THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL HAD APPROVED AN INCREASE IN FARES FOR NEW TERRITORIES AND LANTAU TAXIS TO MEET RISING OPERATING COSTS.

THE NEW FARES WILL TAKE EFFECT FROM SUNDAY, JUNE 24.

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UPON REVISION, THE NT AND LANTAU TAXI FARES WILL BE $7 FOR FIRST TWO KILOMETRES AND 80 CENTS FOR EVERY 0.25 KILOMETRE THEREAFTER.

THE APPROVED NEW FARE SCALES REPRESENT AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF ABOUT 22.3 PER CENT FOR NT TAXIS AND 17.2 PER CENT FOR LANTAU TAXIS.

WAITING TIME CHARGES FOR EVERY ONE MINUTE WILL ALSO BE RAISED FROM 70 CENTS TO 80 CENTS.

IN ADDITION, RADIO-CALL BOOKING SURCHARGE FOR TAXIS IN THE NT WILL BE REVISED FROM $1 TO $2, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE RELATIVELY LONG DISTANCE NT TAXIS HAVE TO COVER BEFORE REACHING THEIR CLIENTS.

THE FARES FOR NT TAXIS AND LANTAU TAXIS WERE JANUARY AND JULY LAST YEAR RESPECTIVELY.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE APPLICATIONS FROM THE TAXI TRADE HAD BEEN CAREFULLY ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC INTEREST WAS PROTECTED AS WELL.

LAST REVISED IN

FARE INCREASE

SCRUTINISED

IN APPROVING THE NEW FARE RATES, THE GOVERNMENT HAD TAKEN CONSIDERATION THE POLICY OF ESTABLISHING A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN TAXIS AND OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORT MODES, EFFECT OF INCREASED OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE AND FUEL COSTS, AND NEED TO MAINTAIN AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF TAXI SERVICE IN THE NT LANTAU, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

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PENDING THE CONVERSION OF TAXIMETERS, TAXIS MAY CHARGE THE REVISED FARES STARTING FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE BY DISPLAYING A CONVERSION TABLE SHOWING THE REVISED FARE SCALES.

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