XN000022-1993-12-23 — Page 5

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1993

STATEMENT ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE INCREASES

A

GOVERNMENT

SPOKESMAN TODAY (THURSDAY) KOWLOON MOTOR BUS CO (KMB) HAS SUBMITTED A FARE FOR NEXT YEAR.

SPOKESMAN THE

THE

THAT CONFIRMED INCREASE APPLICATION

IS BEING CONSIDERED OPERATING EXPENSES,

SAID: "THE APPLICATION WITH

IN DUE REGARD TO THE INCREASES CAREFULLY SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS, INFLATION RATE, AND PUBLIC ACCEPTABILITY.

"AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, WE ARE VERIFYING AND CLARIFYING

INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY KMB IN SUPPORT OF ITS APPLICATION.

"WE APPLICATION.

WILL ALSO BE BRIEFING THE LEGCO TRANSPORT

PANEL

ON

THE

11

THE

SPOKESMAN

THAT

SAID THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS DESIGNED THE FARE INCREASE APPLICATION WOULD BE CONSIDERED IN A FAIR EQUITABLE MANNER.

ΤΟ

ENSURE

AND

PUBLIC OPINION WILL BE FULLY TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, HE ADDED.

FOR

PROPOSALS WILL THEN BE PUT TO THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY ADVICE AND THEREAFTER FOLLOWED BY A SUBMISSION TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.

COMMITTEE

THE

EXECUTIVE

FARE

WITH REGARD TO PRESS REPORTS ABOUT THE TWO RAIL CORPORATIONS INCREASES NEXT YEAR, THE SPOKESMAN SAID:

+

"OUR RECORDS SHOW THAT IN THE PAST 13 YEARS, THE MASS TRANSIT 7.6 PER RAILWAY'S FARES HAVE ONLY INCREASED BY AN ANNUAL AVERAGE OF CENT AS AGAINST AN AVERAGE 8.6 PER CENT RISE IN THE

PRICE

INDEX (A)."

COMMUTER KCR

CONSUMER

FARE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE ALSO BEEN KEPT BELOW INFLATION IN THE PAST SIX YEARS, HE SAID.

POLICY

FARE

IMPROVEMENT

THE "FURTHERMORE,

TWO CORPORATIONS HAVE INDICATED THAT THE CURRENT FARE

THEIR WILL BE ADHERED TO IN FORMULATING INCREASE PROPOSALS FOR NEXT YEAR DESPITE THEIR SERVICE PROGRAMMES, THE COSTS OF WHICH HAVE BEEN WELL BUILT FINANCIAL STRATEGY WITHOUT CAUSING UNUSUAL INCREASES IN FARE ADJUSTMENT," THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

INTO THEIR THE ANNUAL

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