TNAG-0955-FCO40-1174-Legislation-for-traffic-on-roads-in-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 26

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and hence a similar problem did not present itself upon con-

struction of the M. I. S.

7.5 Effect on Bus Fares

The super-imposition of an additional mode whose capacity far

exceeds total demand along the Island Corridor has serious

implications for CMB. If CMB suffers a serious loss of

passengers from its profitable corridor express routes and

cross-harbour routes its ability to cross-subsidize other

loss-making local routes will be impaired. In this way many

passengers' fares will be forced up to a higher level than

would otherwise be the case even though they may derive no benefit from the existence of the railway.

7.6 The Concept of Feeder Routes

It has been suggested that in the event of an Island Line

MTR being constructed, the provision of bus feeder routes to

MTR stations should be established as for the existing M.I.S.

network, However, the provision of Island Corridor feeder routes is not analogous to M.I.S. since passenger journeys on

the Island Corridor are mainly of a short distance nature and

hence the public would resist a change of modes (probably

involving higher fares than direct bus services would charge)

with little or no appreciable time saving. Furthermore, for the longer distance Island Corridor passenger, the need to

interchange between M.T.R. and feeder bus routes would be

totally unacceptable in the presence of a parallel coastal

express bus service network fully utilising the Eastern

Corridor highway. It could, in certain circumstances, take

longer in terms of journey time to travel between major centres

of population by connecting modes than by travelling direct by express bus.

8. CONCLUSION

8.1 In this paper we have attempted to portray as clearly and

fairly as possible the potential for a bus only or bus/tram

option for the Island Corridor. It would be fair to state

../16.