XN000022-1993-03-30 — Page 3

TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 1993

TO CONTAIN PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE INCREASES, FULL FUEL TAX EXEMPTIONS TO ALL FRANCHISED BUS 1992.

GOVERNMENT GRANTED COMPANIES IN MARCH

THIS EFFECTIVELY DEFERRED FARE INCREASES BY BOTH KMB DURING 1992.

NEVERTHELESS,

DESPITE

AND CMB

SINCE

THE THE LAST

OPERATING FARE

THE FUEL TAX EXEMPTION, COSTS OF KMB ROSE BY 26.7% AND CMB BY 17.3% REVISION IN MARCH 1991.

RISE IN WAGES

"MUCH OF THE INCREASES IS DUE TO SUBSTANTIAL ACCOUNTING FOR ABOUT 60% OF THE TWO COMPANIES' OPERATING COSTS."

"DURING THIS PERIOD, KMB'S STAFF COST INCREASED BY 36% AND

BY 23.5%."

CMB

ENJOY FULL

"ALTHOUGH THE TWO BUS COMPANIES WILL CONTINUE TO FUEL TAX EXEMPTION IN 1993/94, THE SAVINGS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO THE INCREASE IN OPERATING COSTS OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.'

*T

COVER

UNDER THE NEW FARË STRUCTURE, MOST KMB PASSENGERS WILL PAY TO 50 CENTS MORE PER TRIP AND MOST CMB PASSENGERS 10 TO 30 CENTS PER TRIP.

10

MORE

ANNUAL LICENCE AS A RESULT OF GOVERNMENT EXEMPTING THEM FROM FEES AND RENTAL AS ANNOUNCED IN THE BUDGET, KMB WILL INTRODUCE ALL-DAY HALF FARES FOR ELDERLY PASSENGERS AGED 65 OR OVER ON ALL ROUTES EXCEPT AIRPORT BUSES IN APRIL/MAY.

CMB HAS ALSO AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO INTRODUCE HALF

OF ELDERLY

OFF-PEAK HOURS FOR MOST DURING PASSENGERS DETAILS OF THE CONCESSIONARY SCHEME ARE BEING WORKED OUT.

ITS

FARES FOR

ROUTES.

THE NEW FARE STRUCTURES WILL BE ANNOUNCED SEPARATELY BY THE TWO BUS COMPANIES.

CNTA PROMISES BETTER SERVICES IN PERFORMANCE PLEDGE

THE

SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, HAS PLEDGED THAT THOSE SEEKING ASSISTANCE AT THE PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICE CENTRE (PESC) IN ANY DISTRICT OFFICE WILL BE ATTENDED то WITHIN THREE MINUTES,

MR SUEN MADE THE PROMISE TODAY (TUESDAY) WHEN HE ANNOUNCED THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION'S (CNTA) "PERFORMANCE PLEDGE" COVERING ITS PUBLIC ENQUIRY SERVICES, WHICH WILL COME INTO EFFECT ON APRIL 1.

HE ALSO GAVE HIS ASSURANCE THAT CALLS TO THE CENTRAL TELEPHONE ENQUIRY CENTRE (CTEC) AT CNTA HEADQUARTERS WOULD BE ANSWERED WITHIN ONE MINUTE.

/THIS SERVE-THE-COMMUNITY