ENG-1987 — Page 243

TRANSPORT

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and one external service to Kowloon, Nine air-conditioned 24-seat buses were also used by KMB on two routes which had previously been operated with the use of larger buses. The company also tried out air-conditioned double deckers on inter-new-town express routes.

During the year, the company carried 1 100 million passengers and operated 220 million vehicle-kilometres, which represented a decrease of two per cent and an increase of five per cent respectively over the previous year.

Bus fares for Kowloon and New Territories routes as well as all cross-harbour tunnel routes were increased on February 1. Fares on urban routes range from 80 cents to $1.70 whereas fares on rural routes range from 80 cents to $4.40. All cross-harbour tunnel urban routes had a flat fare of $2.80, with a section fare of $1.20 after passing through the tunnel. Higher fares, however, applied to the airport coach service, recreation services, express, the suburban and New Territories cross-harbour routes. In March 1986 KMB's franchise was extended to August 31, 1995.

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The China Motor Bus Company Limited (CMB) operated 96 routes on Hong Kong Island and Ap Lei Chau, and 20 cross-harbour routes jointly with KMB. At the end of 1987, its fleet comprised 923 double deckers and two single deckers. These vehicles carried 316 million passengers and travelled 56 million vehicle-kilometres during the year.

CMB bus fares remained unchanged in 1987, except on its cross-harbour routes, Fares on urban routes were from $1 to $1.70, and those on suburban routes from $1 to $3.50. During the year CMB's franchise was extended to August 31, 1991.

On Lautau Island, the New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited (NLB) operated six regular and two recreational routes with a fleet of 55 buses, 42 of which were double- deckers. In 1987, NLB vehicles carried an average of 6 800 passengers every weekday, but recreational demand boosted this figure to 17 000 on Sundays and public holidays. NLB bus fares were revised in June, and ranged from 90 cents to $6.60 on weekdays and from $1.80 to $10 on Sundays and public holidays. During the year NLB's franchise was extended to March 31, 1993.

Franchised bus services were supplemented by a fleet of 2 407 non-franchised public buses which are operated on a contract-hire basis, as well as 124 private buses operated by private housing developments and factories for their own needs.

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 service (green minibus services) and others on non-scheduled services (red PLB services). A review of the PLB policy began during the year in the light of changing transport and traffic developments.

In 1987, there were 3 130 red PLBs carrying about one million passengers daily. There is no control of 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 unrestricted sections of the route. However, they contributed to congestion as they tended to concentrate in the main bus and tram corridors, delaying high capacity carriers and other traffic by their frequent stopping.

The expansion of the green minibus scheme continued in 1987, with red PLBs being converted to fixed routes and fares under the control of the Transport Department, to serve areas of particular need. At the end of the year, 170 green minibus routes utilising 1 200 PLBs were in operation throughout the territory, with about 578 000 passengers being