TNAG-2032-FCO40-2895-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1990 — Page 188

MARCH 1989

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HONG KONG THE FACTS

TRANSPORT

Hong Kong has a land area of only 1 071 square kilo- metres of which a mere 17% is built-up, making its urban residential densities the highest in the world. Most of its population of over 5.7 million live in the metropolitan area around one of the world's busiest harbours.

Every day, more than nine million passenger journeys are made on a public transport system that includes two high capacity railways, trams, buses, minibuses, taxis and ferries.

In terms of capacity and frequencies operated, Hong Kong's public transport system compares favourably with any in the world. However, there are now about 200 licensed vehicles for every kilometre of road, and Hong Kong's limited topography makes it increasingly difficult to provide additional road capacity in heavily built-up areas.

Buses and Minibuses: The Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited operates 234 regular day- time services in Kowloon and the mainland New Ter- ritories and carries 2.9 million passengers daily. On urban routes, from January 29, 1989, flat fares range from $1 to $2.3 whilst on rural services fares range from $1.2 to $5.4 according to route length.

With a fleet of 2 768 buses (2670 double-deck, 35 single-deck and 63 coaches), the company is one of the largest road passenger transport operators in Southeast Asia. On average each bus carries 1 273 passengers a day and operates 250 kilometres. Almost all recent purchases have comprised high capacity three-axle double-deck buses. The total licensed fleet at the end of 1988 had a capacity of 350 114 passengers. The buses are one-man operated using an 'exact-fare' system.

The China Motor Bus Company Limited operates 81 regular routes on Hong Kong Island which carry 677 000 passengers daily. Fares range from $1 to $5.5 according to distance and category. The fleet comprises 1006 one-man operated double-deck buses and two single-deckers, and includes 88 high capacity three-axle double deckers.

The two companies operate an extensive network of 16 daytime and two all-night services through the Cross-Harbour Tunnel under a pooled mileage scheme, whilst the Kowloon Motor Bus Company runs three cross-harbour routes of its own. Together, these 21 routes handle 395 000 passengers a day.

The New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited operates seven regular and two recreational routes on Lantau Island which carry an average of 9 400 pas- sengers daily. However, the greatest traffic occurs on summer and autumn Sundays when the normal fares of 90 cents to $6.3 are raised to between $1.8 and $10. The bus fleet comprises 13 double-deck and 47 single-deck vehicles.

Public Light Buses (PLBs) are minibuses with not more than 16 seats; their number has been fixed at a maximum of 4 350 vehicles, most of which are

individually owned. Some PLBs are used on sche- duled services (green minibuses) and others on non- scheduled services (red minibuses). Red minibuses are free to operate anywhere, except where special pro- hibitions apply, without control over routes or fares. By the end of 1987, they operate on 123 identifiable routes, often in competition with bus and tram services. Green minibuses operate on fixed routes at fixed fares which are generally somewhat higher than those of franchised buses. By the end of 1988 there were 46 green minibus routes on Hong Kong Island, 49 in urban Kowloon and 87 in the New Territories, employ- ing a total of 1 275 vehicles. Red minibuses carry almost a million passengers a day, while green mini- buses carry over 619 000 passengers daily.

Augmenting the franchised bus and PLB fleets are 5 654 buses, minibuses and coaches used mainly on contracts for carrying tourists, factory workers, school- children and commuters.

Taxis: The 14 400 urban taxis, 2 638 New Terri- tories taxis and 40 Lantau taxis carry about 1.2 million passengers daily. The former operate throughout the territory and the latters are fundamentally confined to the rural areas of the New Territories and Lantau Island respectively.

Fares are charged by metered tariff. Both urban and New Territories taxis adjusted their fares on January 22, 1989. Urban taxis charge $6.5 for the first two kilometres and 80 cents for every 0.25 kilometre thereafter. For New Territories taxis, the flagfall is $5.5 for the first two kilometres, with a charge of 70 cents for every subsequent 0.25 kilometre. For Lantau taxis, the flagfall is $5 for the first two kilometres, with a charge of 50 cents for every subsequent 0.2 kilometre.

Rail Systems: The Kowloon-Canton Railway (British Section) is operated by the government-owned Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation. The railway is 34 kilometres long and connects Hung Hom in Kowloon with Lo Wu at the border. There are 10 inter- mediate stations, including one on a loop line at Sha Tin Racecourse that is mainly used for race-day traffic.

The line was double-tracked and electrified in a programme that was completed in 1983. Rolling stock comprises 255 cars which may be assembled into three, six, nine or 12 car trains; these carry about 456 000 passengers daily. Ordinary class fares range from $2 to $5.4 for local journeys and $11 to $17.5 for journeys to the border station at Lo Wu, according to distance travelled. In addition, there are four daily through trains each way to and from Guangzhou at an adult fare of $127 or $135 ($155 during the peak season) with one to two pairs of additional through trains during busy periods. Freight traffic is also important on the railway, and in 1988, it handled 4.5 million tonnes of freight and 2.1 million heads of livestock.

The Mass Transit Railway is a metropolitan under- ground/elevated railway network comprising three