XN000022-1991-12-10 — Page 9

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1991

MR LEUNG SAID PUBLIC MONITORING WAS ALSO ACHIEVED THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE IN THE OMELCO TRANSPORT PANEL, THE RAISING OF QUESTIONS

WATCH OF THE MASS COUNCIL, DISTRICT BOARDS AS WELL AS THE VIGILANT MEDIA.

HE SAID UNDER THE EXISTING MONITORING FRAMEWORK, THE MTRC HAD BECOME ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST HEAVILY UTILISED URBAN RAILWAYS WITH

THAN MORE

1.9 MILLION PASSENGERS PER DAY,

ACCOUNTING APPROXIMATELY 20 PER CENT OF ALL PUBLIC

JOURNEYS

KONG.

TRANSPORT

FOR

IN

HONG

OF

MODE "IT HAS BENEFITED THE COMMUNITY WITH A FAST, RELIABLE TRANSPORT AT REASONABLE FARES OF AN AVERAGE OF $0.57 PER PASSENGER KILOMETER, HE SAID.

THE MTRC HAD MAJOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE

MR LEUNG SAID OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, ASSET IMPROVEMENT PLANS. THESE INCLUDE THE

REFURBISHMENT AIRPORT RAILWAY,

OF STATIONS, CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ENTRANCE FACILITIES AT CONGESTED STATIONS, THE FITTING OF WITH MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT AND THE UPGRADING AND RADIO COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS.

OF

RAIL

CARS

SIGNALLING

TURNING TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THE KCRC, MR LEUNG SAID THE WEEK- DAY RIDERSHIP OF 500,000 PASSENGERS ON THE KCR AND 270,000 PASSENGERS CENT OF THE ON THE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT (LRT) ACCOUNTED FOR SEVEN PER TOTAL PASSENGER TRIPS OF ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORT.

"LIKE THE MTRC, IT PROVIDES THE COMMUNITY WITH RAIL TRANSPORT SERVICES AT REASONABLE FARES," HE SAID.

FAST, RELIABLE

LOOKING AHEAD, MR LEUNG SAID THERE WOULD BE CONTINUED AND EXCITING GROWTH AND EXPANSION PARTICULARLY IN THE LRT OPERATION WITH $700 MILLION ALREADY BUDGETED TO UPGRADE RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE AND

FACILITIES.

"BY THE END OF 1992 THE PASSENGER-CARRYING CAPACITY WOULD INCREASED BY 50 PER CENT RELATIVE TO 1989," HE SAID.

HAVE

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS INCLUDED TWO MORE REGIONAL LINKS IN TUEN MUN TO BE COMMISSIONED IN FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR, COMMISSIONING OF THE

INCLUSIVE OF 30 $500 MILLION TIN SHUI WAI PROJECT

NEW LIGHT RAIL COMPLETION VEHICLES IN EARLY 1993; AND THE

OF AIR-CONDITIONING EXISTING VEHICLES AT A COST OF $50 MILLION BY SUMMER 1993.

MR LEUNG ALSO NOTED THAT IN RESPONSE TO CALLS INTERACTION WITH CONSUMERS, THE KCRC HAD ESTABLISHED LIAISON GROUPS WHILE THE MTRC HAD RECENTLY LAUNCHED COFFEE FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT TO EXCHANGE VIEWS WITH PASSENGERS.

OF

FOR MORE PASSENGER EVENINGS

MR LEUNG SAID THE RAIL CORPORATIONS HAD INCREASINGLY WITH OTHER TRANSPORT MODES, INCLUDING FRANCHISED BUSES.

ΤΟ

COMPETE

I

"AS THEY ARE SET TO MAINTAIN AND EXPAND THEIR MARKET SHARE, AM SURE THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP A EVEN CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR EXISTING AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS, HE SAID.

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