ENG-1992 — Page 267

TRANSPORT

cross-harbour routes operated jointly with the China Motor Bus Company (CMB) and two cross-harbour routes of its own. During the year, the quality of services provided by KMB was upgraded by introducing 16 air-conditioned bus routes. KMB also operates 'Airbus' services to and from the airport, comprising three routes to Hong Kong Island and one within Kowloon.

The KMB fleet at the end of the year comprised 3 121 registered vehicles, including 2 610 double-deck conventional buses and 241 and 270 air-conditioned double and single deck buses respectively. Their capacities range from 24 to 164 places. In 1992, KMB made 970 million passenger trips and operated 234 million vehicle-kilometres, compared with 973 million passenger trips and 217 million vehicle-kilometres in 1991. KMB's current franchise extends until August 31, 1997. Fares ranged from $0.50 to $8.50 for non air-conditioned and from $1.20 to $15.0 for air-conditioned services.

To attract commuters who might otherwise have used and overloaded the busy section of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) along Nathan Road, eight new air-conditioned bus routes were introduced in 1992, offering express services from Tsuen Wan, Tsing Yi, Yuen Long and Tai Po to Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. In addition, five new cross harbour routes from Kowloon, Lei Muk Shue, Kwai Tsing and Ma On Shan to Hong Kong Island were put into operation in the summer. The provision of such services helped keep the MTR passenger flows along Nathan Road within acceptable levels.

Bus services on Hong Kong Island are provided by the China Motor Bus Company (CMB), which operated 97 Island routes and, jointly with KMB, 33 cross-harbour routes. At the end of 1992, CMB's fleet comprised 1 004 double-deckers and 23 single-deckers, of which 61 and 22 respectively were are air-conditioned. They made 263 million passenger trips and travelled 52 million vehicle-kilometres during the year compared with 266 million and 52 million respectively in 1991. During the year, CMB purchased 20 air-conditioned double-deckers and four air-conditioned single-deckers for improving services. Fares ranged from $1.60 to $15. The company's franchise extends until August 31, 1995 but 26 of its existing routes are to be withdrawn from its network in 1993.

The New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited (NLB) operates six regular and one recreational franchised routes on Lantau Island with a fleet of 61 single-deck and 15 double-deck buses. Most NLB services connect with the ferries at Mui Wo. Operational efficiency was improved in September 1991 by the opening of a new bus depot in Mui Wo. The average weekday ridership on NLB in 1992 was 8 680 passengers. Boosted by recreational traffic, average patronage on Sundays and public holidays was 18 470 passengers. Fares ranged from $1.1 to $19. To better meet peak recreational demand, NLB introduced in June 1991 a special service between Mui Wo and Po Lin Monastery, using air-conditioned coaches ferried to Lantau at weekends. In 1992, average patronage on this special service was 2 070 passengers per day.

The fourth franchised bus operator is Citybus Limited. This company had been running non-franchised bus services since 1979. In August 1991, it was awarded a franchise for a route between Central (Macau Ferry) and MacDonnell Road using nine buses on which a $4.50 fare was charged. This was the first franchised bus route awarded by competitive tender.

To promote healthy competition among transport services providers, 24 Hong Kong Island routes and two cross harbour tunnel routes with a total fleet requirement of 200 buses will be withdrawn from CMB's network upon the expiry of its current franchise on

223