ENG-1984 — Page 252

TRANSPORT

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Minibuses

The size of the public light bus (PLB) fleet has been fixed at 4 350 since May 1976. PLBs are 14-seater minibuses authorised under the Road Traffic Ordinance to carry passengers at separate fares. Some PLBs are used on scheduled services (green maxicab services) and others on non-scheduled services (red PLB services).

In 1984, red PLBs carried an estimated one million passengers a day. There is no control on fares and routes for red PLBs, which are popular with passengers prepared to pay higher fares for a quick, direct and comfortable service with the added advantage of being able to board or alight anywhere along the route, assuming no restrictions are in force. These PLBs, however, contribute to congestion as they tend to concentrate in the main bus and tram corridors, delaying high capacity carriers and other traffic by their frequent stops.

Expansion of the 'maxicab' scheme continued in 1984 with PLBs being converted to fixed routes and fares under the control of the Transport Department to serve areas of particular need. At year-end, 130 maxicab routes utilising 930 PLBs were in operation throughout the territory, with about 370 000 passengers being carried daily. Concessionary fares for handicapped passengers are offered on some maxicab routes.

A fleet of 1 886 private light buses is also maintained by schools, private residential developments and commercial enterprises for their own needs.

PLB policy was reviewed during the year in the light of changing transport and traffic developments.

Residential Coach Services

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In order to serve the peak hour transport needs of outlying residential areas, particularly those private developments with inadequate franchised bus services which cannot be served satisfactorily by maxicab services, a new category of bus service called a residential coach service was introduced in 1982. The service is intended to complement rather than compete with franchised bus services. Under the scheme, a coach service operates by the grant of a non-exclusive residential coach service licence under certain conditions, the main ones being that the service can only be operated according to the route, timetable and stopping places approved by the Commissioner for Transport. This licence is usually valid for two years and consideration may be given to renewal upon expiry. In assessing whether a licence should be renewed, account is taken of the continued need for the service and any effect it might have had on parallel franchised services.

To date, 20 licences have been issued for the operation of residential coach services, one on Hong Kong Island and 19 for residential developments in the New Territories.

Trams

The tram service in Hong Kong dates back to 1904, when Hong Kong Tramways Limited began service on five overlapping routes over 30 kilometres of track along the densely populated north shore of Hong Kong Island. During 1984, the fleet of 163 double-deck tramcars carried a daily average of 340 000 passengers. Fares were last revised in 1983 and remain at 60 cents for adults, 20 cents for children under 12 years and 30 cents for student travel card holders.

The Peak Tramways Company Limited has been operating a cable-hauled funicular railway service up Victoria Peak between the lower levels of Hong Kong Island and Victoria Gap, 397 metres above sea level, since 1888. The service stops at five inter- mediate stations on the 1.4 kilometre line and in places negotiates a gradient of one-in-two. It is popular with tourists, and at the same time provides a direct route to Central District