XN000022-1994-01-13 — Page 4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1994

GOVERNOR: I THINK THE HONOURABLE GENTLEMAN WILL KNOW THAT THIS IS A SUBJECT IN WHICH I'VE TAKEN A CLOSE PERSONAL INTEREST, NOT LEAST BECAUSE IT'S BEEN RAISED WITH ME AT PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT I'VE HELD BOTH IN 1992 AND IN 1993, FOLLOWING MY POLICY ADDRESS TO THIS COUNCIL. AFTER THE EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN AT MEETINGS IN 1992, I HELD A MEETING IN DECEMBER 1992, WITH BOTH REPRESENTATIVES OF DISABLED GROUPS AND WITH THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPERATORS AND WITH OTHERS WHO ARE CONCERNED IN THIS AREA. I THINK IT WAS GENERALLY REGARDED AS BEING A HELPFUL MEETING ON BOTH SIDES. I THOUGHT THE INTELLIGENCE AND MODERATION OF THE REQUESTS MADE BY THOSE REPRESENTING THE DISABLED WERE VERY IMPRESSIVE. I ALSO THOUGHT THAT THE TRANSPORT OPERATORS THEMSELVES WERE OBVIOUSLY KEEN TO RESPOND AS CONSTRUCTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.

WE'RE HAVING A FURTHER MEETING IN, I THINK IT'S FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, CERTAINLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS,

AT WHICH WE'RE GOING TO REVIEW THE PROGRESS MADE SINCE THE LAST MEETING IN DECEMBER. AND THERE IS SOME PROGRESS TO REPORT. PROGRESS IN THE COMMITMENTS MADE BY THE KOWLOON CANTON RAILWAY COMPANY, PROGRESS IN COMMITMENTS MADE BY THE MTRC, NOT LEAST IN LOOKING AT THE DESIGN THE NEW AIRPORT RAILWAY, PROGRESS IN THE EFFORTS MADE BY SOME OF BUS COMPANIES TO PROVIDE BETTER FOR THE DISABLED, THOUGH WE KNOW PARTICULAR PROBLEMS WHICH BUS COMPANIES HAVE IN THIS RESPECT.

AS

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FOR REHAB BUS SERVICES, TWO TYPES OF SERVICES SCHEDULE AND 'DIAL A RIDE', ARE NOW AVAILABLE. I'M TOLD THAT THE SCHEDULE SERVICE WILL BE EXPANDED WITH THE ADDITION OF FOUR ROUTES A YEAR BETWEEN 1993/94 AND 1997/98 AND THE 'DIAL A RIDE' SERVICE WILL ALSO BE IMPROVED WITH THE PURCHASE OF ADDITIONAL VEHICLES. I CAN ASSURE THE HONOURABLE MEMBER THAT THIS IS A SUBJECT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE FURTHER PROGRESS AFTER THE NEXT MEETING BETWEEN THE GROUPS THAT I MENTIONED. ONE VERY POSITIVE, PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT THAT'S BEEN MADE IS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE THE PUBLICATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT USERS' GUIDE TO HELP THE DISABLED PLAN THEIR TRIPS AND THAT CAME OUT AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, ON 30 DECEMBER. I THINK COPIES HAVE SINCE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO ALL DISABLED GROUPS I THINK THEY FOUND THEM VERY HELPFUL.

AND

MR DAVID LI: SIR, WILL YOU PLEASE ADVISE THIS COUNCIL HOW THE RECENT INCREASE IN TAXI RATE CAN BE JUSTIFIED WHEN NO MEASURES APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN WHICH ENSURE BETTER QUALITY OF SERVICE FOR TAXI USERS?

GOVERNOR: AS I'M SURE THE HONOURABLE MEMBER WILL KNOW, THE QUESTION OF TAXI FARES WAS REFERRED TO THE TAC, TO THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COUNCIL AND IT WAS ONLY AFTER THEIR ADVICE HAD BEEN TAKEN THAT THE INCREASE IN FARES WAS AGREED. BUT WHILE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT TAXI FARES WAS TAKING PLACE I THINK EVERYBODY WAS AWARE OF INCREASED CONCERN BEING EXPRESSED, BOTH ABOUT THE QUALITY OF SERVICE AND ABOUT THE WAY THAT PROVISION IS CURRENTLY ORGANISED, THE WAY THAT TAXIS ARE LICENCED. NOW THIS COUNCIL HAS BEGUN TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE WITH ITS AGREEMENT TO REGULATIONS WHICH ENSURE THAT FROM NOW ON, OR FROM A MONTH OR SO'S TIME, TAXIS WILL CARRY A PLATE AND A LICENCE WHICH WILL ENABLE UNSATISFIED CUSTOMERS TO IDENTIFY MORE CLEARLY WHO'S BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR A BAD SERVICE. WE'VE ALSO SEEN INCREASED ACTIVITY BY THE POLICE IN ENFORCING EXISTING REGULATIONS AND I HOPE THAT THAT TOO WILL IMPROVE LEVELS OF SERVICE. BUT THE HONOURABLE MEMBER IS ENTIRELY RIGHT IN SAYING THAT THE PUBLIC WILL LOOK TO IMPROVED SERVICES AS THE PRINCIPAL JUSTIFICATION FOR ANY FUTURE INCREASE IN FARES, PARTICULARLY WHEN SO MANY OF OUR CITIZENS DEPEND ON TAXIS, NOT JUST FOR AN OCCASIONAL RETURN HOME BUT FOR A REGULAR MOVEMENT AROUND THE TERRITORY.

/MR LAU