ENG-1967 — Page 260

COMMUNICATIONS

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operating 77 per cent of normal services and the Kowloon Motor Bus Company 75 per cent.

The disruption caused to public transport by the stoppage led to the growth of illegal forms of public transport but, as regular services gradually improved, the law was more stringently enforced against private cars, dual-purpose vans and small lorries plying for hire illegally.

The Transport Advisory Committee, formed in December 1965, combines the functions of both the former Advisory Committee on Public Transport and the Traffic Advisory Committee. It continued to study transport problems within the Colony and to offer con- structive advice to the government and transport companies on the planning of services to meet present and future needs.

Bus services in Kowloon and the New Territories are operated by the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited. At the end of 1967, its fleet totalled 1,051 vehicles, comprising 625 double-deck buses and 426 single-deck buses. During the year 20 buses were added to the fleet and 24 older ones were taken out of service. The fleet's total passenger-carrying capacity at the end of the year was 79,382, an increase of 1.43 per cent over 1966. All double-deck buses are equipped with power-operated doors and a connected system of warning bells. During the first four months of 1967, the company was operating a total of 65 routes (39 in Kowloon and 26 in the New Territories). During the year 515.5 million passengers were carried and 32.5 million miles were covered by the company's buses, a decrease of 19.8 per cent and 31.1 per cent, respectively, compared with the previous year.

Bus services on Hong Kong Island are run by the China Motor Bus Company Limited which has 502 vehicles, comprising 384 single-deck and 118 double-deck buses. The total mid-year passenger- carrying capacity of the fleet was 30,501, an increase of 9.24 per cent over 1966. During the first four months of the year, the company was operating a total of 30 routes. In 1967, the buses carried 169.2 million passengers and covered 15.3 million miles, a decrease of 9.3 per cent and 18.2 per cent respectively compared with the previous

year.

With a few exceptions both bus companies charge two fares within the urban areas. The lower fare of 10 cents is for a stage of