XN000022-1996-11-12 — Page 4

3.

TAC endorses tram fare increase

The Transport Advisory Committee (TAC), at a meeting today (Tuesday), endorsed a 40 cents increase in adult fares to $1.60 for the Hongkong Tramways Ltd from January 1997. Monthly tickets will increase by $35 to $135.

In recommending the increase, members noted the company's plans to improve tram safety through upgrading of the electrical equipment of the tramcars, as well as better training and working conditions for its staff.

Members also took into account the company's financial performance, its past profit levels and the public acceptability of the new fares.

After the increase, 83.7 per cent of fare-box passengers will pay 40 cents more and 16.3 per cent (children and senior citizens) will pay 20 cents more.

$1.20.

Hongkong Tramways last revised its fares on February 6, 1994 from $1.00 to

Consumer Price Index (CPI) (A) is forecast to have increased by 23.5 per cent between then and January 1997. The increase in tram fares will only contribute to a 0.0067 per cent increase in CPI(A).

After the increase, tram fares would still be relatively low when compared with those of the other modes of public transport.

End

More calls to transport complaints hotline

The number of complaints and suggestions received by the Transport Complaints Unit (TCU) of the Transport Advisory Committee for the period between April 1, 1996 and June 30, 1996 increased by 1.7 per cent to 3,395 as compared with 3,338 in the previous quarter.

During the period, the major areas of complaint were related to public transport (74 per cent), road traffic conditions (11 per cent) and enforcement (9 per cent).