XN000022-1991-01-30 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 1991

16

BORDER LIAISON MEETING IN ZHONGSHAN

DIRECTOR AT THE INVITATION OF THE

OF THE GUANGDONG FOREIGN MR HUANG QUN, AFFAIRS OFFICE,

HONG

GOVERNMENT A GROUP OF

KONG

VISIT OFFICIALS LED BY THE POLITICAL ADVISER, MR WILLIAM EHRMAN, WILL ZHONGSHAN FROM TOMORROW (THURSDAY) FOR THE 11TH ANNUAL BORDER REVIEW.

THEY WILL RETURN ON SATURDAY (FEBRUARY 2).

BETWEEN

1981, PROVIDES FOR THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE,

BXCISE

AND DEPARTMENT

THEIR

THE BORDER LIAISON SYSTEM, ESTABLISHED IN REGULAR CHANNELS OF EXCHANGE IMMIGRATION, DEPARTMENT AND CUSTOMS AND GUANGDONG COUNTERPARTS.

ANNUAL REVIEWS ARE HELD ALTERNATELY IN HONG KONG AND GUANGDONG. ANNUAL

FRANCHISED BUS ROUTES TO BE TENDERED

* * *

THE WAY IN WHICH FRANCHISED BUS ROUTES ARE AWARDED TO OPERATORS BE CHANGED TO ALLOW FOR COMPETITIVE TENDERING, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN ANNOUNCED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

WILL

AT

A

PRESENT, THE GOVERNMENT GRANTS FRANCHISED ROUTES THROUGH FORWARD PLANNING PROGRAMME WHICH WOULD NORMALLY EARMARK A NEW ROUTE TO THE FRANCHISEE ALREADY ESTABLISHED IN THE AREA BEING SERVED.

UNDER THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL, THIS PRACTICE WILL CONTINUE BUT SOME NEW BUS ROUTES WILL BE RELEASED TO THE MARKET THROUGH OPEN TENDER.

THIS IS INTENDED TO PROMOTE QUALITY, EFFICIENCY, INNOVATION AND VARIETY IN PUBLIC BUS SERVICES THROUGH HEALTHY COMPETITION, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE SAID THE 1980'S SAW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE TOTAL CAPACITY OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT CARRIERS. WITH IT CAME A SHIFT IN PUBLIC DEMAND FOR BETTER QUALITY AND VARIETY RATHER THAN QUANTITY OF BUS SERVICES.

"IF THE GROWING DEMAND FOR BETTER QUALITY SERVICES IS NOT SATISFIED, THE RESULTANT SWITCH OF SOME BUS PASSENGERS ΤΟ RAIL OR PRIVATE TRANSPORT MAY ADD TO THE STRAIN ON THE RAIL SYSTEM AND ROAD CONGESTION.

"AT THE SAME TIME, THE PUBLIC BUS INDUSTRY IS FACING INCREASING PRESSURE ON FARES, CAUSED BY A LEVELLING OFF IN RIDERSHIP AND RAPIDLY RISING OPERATING COSTS.

/"IF PRODUCTIVITY