XN000022-1992-06-23 — Page 10

TUESDAY, JUNE 23, 1992

POLITICAL ADVISER TO VISIT SHENZHEN

THE POLITICAL ADVISER, MR WILLIAM EHRMAN, WILL LEAD DELEGATION OF HONG KONG OFFICIALS TO SHENZHEN TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY).

A

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY! THE DELEGATION WILL REVIEW THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE 10 YEARS SINCE THE SIGNING OF THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SHENZHEN TO OPEN UP LINKS THE TWO SIDES.

BETWEEN

HONGYI,

(DEPUTY

(DEPUTY

MR EHRMAN, WHO WILL HOLD TALKS WITH MR ZHANG VICE-MAYOR OF SHENZHEN, WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY MR BOWEN LEUNG MR JIM MORRIS SECRETARY, PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS), SECRETARY FOR SECURITY}, MR JOHN TELFORD {DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR MS LILY TRANSPORT), MS ANNETTE LEE (ASSISTANT POLITICAL ADVISER) AND KING (INTERPRETER).

TAC DISCUSSES WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES

BUS ON

THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC) TODAY (TUESDAY) CONSIDERED A FARE INCREASE APPLICATION FROM THE NEW LANTAU COMPANY (NLB) AND WAS BRIEFED ON THE FINDINGS OF ITS WORKING GROUP TAXI POLICY REVIEW.

IT ALSO EXAMINED ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MEASURES TO RELIEVE CONGESTION AT THE CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL (CHT) AND STAR FERRY'S FORWARD PLANNING PROGRAMME FOR 1992-96.

ON NLB'S FARE INCREASE APPLICATION, MEMBERS NOTED THAT THE INCREASE WOULD BE NEEDED BECAUSE OF RISING COST AND A PATRONAGE RATE LOWER THAN EXPECTED SINCE ITS LAST FARE INCREASE IN AUGUST 1990.

THE NLB IS SEEKING A FARE RISE AT A PERCENTAGE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THE INFLATION RATE MEASURED BY THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A) SINCE ITS LAST FARE REVISION 22 MONTHS AGO.

TO

MEMBERS ALSO NOTED THAT AS PART OF THE SERVICE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME, NLB PLANNED TO BUY EIGHT AIR-CONDITIONED SINGLE DECKERS REPLACE OLD BUSES AND TO INTRODUCE HALF FARE FOR ELDERLY PASSENGERS AGED 65 AND ABOVE ON WEEKDAYS.

THE COMMITTEE ASKED THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TO MONITOR RESIDENTS' ACCEPTABILITY OF AIR-CONDITIONED BUSES DURING WEEKDAYS.

TAC'S RECOMMENDATION ON NLB'S FARE INCREASE APPLICATION WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL LATER.

ON TAXI POLICY REVIEW, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TAC WORKING GROUP ON TAXI POLICY REVIEW BRIEFED MEMBERS ON VARIOUS MEASURES RECOMMENDED FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

THESE MEASURES AIM AT IMPROVING THE LICENSING SYSTEM, FARE SYSTEM AND THE QUALITY OF SERVICE.

THE TAXI

/THE TAC

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