ENG-1981 — Page 228

COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSPORT

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and surcharges are made for the air-conditioned de luxe class, and high-speed hoverferry services.

Apart from the two major ferry operators, a number of minor ferry services are licensed to small operators. In the New Territories, supplementary services - known as 'kaitos' - are operated in response to local demand, while in Victoria Harbour fleets of motor boats. known as 'walla-wallas' are available for hire at the public piers on either shore.

Taxis

Hong Kong is served by two types of taxis: urban taxis, which can operate throughout the territory, and New Territories taxis which are restricted to rural areas of the New Territories.

In July, the government confirmed that the policy of increasing the number of taxis by quarterly public tenders would continue, and new targets were set. The number of urban taxis will be increased from 10 000 to 12 000 by 1983, and the number of New Territories taxis will be increased from 838 to 3 000 by 1984. At the end of 1981, 10 170 urban taxi and 891 New Territories taxi licences had been issued.

The fares for both categories of taxi have remained unchanged since the last fare increase was implemented in October, 1980. The fare for Hong Kong and Kowloon taxis is $4 for the first two kilometres and 50 cents for each subsequent 0.25 kilometres. For New Territories taxis, the first two kilometres cost $2.40, with 30 cents for each subsequent 0.25 kilometres.

Mass Transit Railway

The Mass Transit Railway is operated by a wholly government-owned corporation. In 1981, the railway system comprised the 15.6 kilometres Modified Initial System (MIS) of network with 15 stations. The system, which links Central District with Kwun Tong in East Kowloon, reached an average weekday ridership of about 700 000 at year end.

To meet a steady increase in demand, the corporation increased its entire fleet size from four to six-car trains during the year, and in October introduced its first eight-car combination.

A fare adjustment was undertaken during the year which resulted in all single adult fares being increased by 20 cents. At the same time, stored value tickets were introduced in denominations of $25, $50, $100 and $200. The stored value tickets provided the corporation with fare flexibility. The $50, $100 and $200 tickets were able to be purchased at a discounted price and it was possible to provide passengers using them with a reduction in fares during the off-peak periods. All stored value tickets also gave a last ride bonus. The effect of all these price adjustments was that the cost of an average journey on the MTR remained about the same but a greater incentive was offered to travel in off-peak periods. Half price child/student single ride tickets and stored value tickets were also brought into use. Stored value type tickets proved to be very popular and by the end of the year nearly 50 per cent of passengers were using these tickets.

During the year the record of trains arriving at their destinations within two minutes of the scheduled time was maintained at 98 per cent.

The MIS which comprises 15 stations - 12 underground and three overhead - started full operation in February 1980. It serves the East Kowloon area, North Kowloon, Nathan Road, and the Central District of Hong Kong Island. The railway was built several weeks ahead of schedule and within the budgetted construction cost of $5,800 million. In 1981, a total of 223 million people were carried on the trains which operated 19 hours a day, seven days a week at basic frequencies of two and a half minutes during peak hours and