XN000022-1992-07-28 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, JULY 28, 1992

TAC DISCUSSES TAXIS, SKY RAIL AND BUS SERVICES

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THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC)

TODAY (TUESDAY)

CONSIDERED THE PRELIMINARY REPORT OF ITS WORKING GROUP ON TAXI POLICY REVIEW AND

PARR INCREASE APPLICATION FROM THE LANTAU TAX I ASSOCIATION.

THE COMMITTER

WAS ALSO BRIEFED ON THE PROPOSED SKY RAIL PROJECT FOR KOWLOON AND CONSULTED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AIR-CONDITIONED BUS SERVICES.

ON TAXI POLICY REVIEW, MEMBERS NOTED THE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF THE WORKING GROUP AND ENDORSED THAT THE PROPOSALS WHICH HAVE BEEN SHORT-LISTED FOR FURTHER PUBLIC CONSULTATION SHOULD BE PUBLISHED IN SEPTEMBER TO INVITE COMMENTS.

IN ITS PRELIMINARY REPORT, THE WORKING GROUP HAS IDENTIFIED, AS POSSIBLE OPTIONS FOR FURTHER DELIBERATIONS, A RANGE OF PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE THE TAXI LICENSING SYSTEM, THE FARE POLICY AND THE QUALITY OF TAXI SERVICE.

THE PUBLIC AND THE TAX T TRADE WERE FIRST CONSULTED BETWEEN JANUARY AND MARCH THIS YEAR WHEN THE WORKING GROUP STARTED THE REVIEW.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND THE TAXI TRADE WILL HAVE AT LEAST THREE MONTHS TO GIVE THEIR OPINIONS ON THE PROPOSALS TO BR ANNOUNCRD IN SEPTEMBER FOR PUBLIC VIEWS.

YBAR.

THE TAC IS EXPROTRD TO TAKE A VIEW ON THE PROPOSALS KARLY NEXT

ON LANTAU TAXI FARES, MEMBERS RECOMMENDED AN INCREASE BY A PERCENTAGE LOWER THAN THAT REQUESTED BY THE TRADE.

FARES FOR LANTAU TAXIS WERE LAST REVISED IN JUNE 1990. SINCE THEN, OPERATING COSTS HAD RISEN BY 19 PER CENT WHILE GENERAL

HAD INFLATION, AS MEASURED BY THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (A),

GONE UP

BY ABOUT 22 PER CENT.

APART FROM THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF THE TAXT TRADE, MEMBERS TOOK INTO ACCOUNT PUBLIC ACCEPTABILITY AND THE FARE DIFFERENTIAL WITH OTHER PUBLIC TRANSPORT MODES.

THE TAC'S RECOMMENDATION ON THE FARE INCREASE APPLICATION WILL BE SURMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL LATER.

AT THE MEETING, MEMBERS WERE BRIEFED ON THE LATEST SUBMISSION HY THE KOWLOON SKY RAIL COMPANY LTD (KSRC) TO BUILD AND OPERATE AN ELEVATED LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM CONNECTING TSIM SHA TSUI WITH HUNG HOM.

THE

THE PROPOSAL IS BEING BEING LOOKED AT INCLUDE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT.

CONSIDERED HY THE GOVERNMENT. ISSUES IMPACT THAT THE SYSTEM MAY HAVE ON

/THE URBAN