ENG-2003 — Page 307

TRANSPORT

The company's 164 trams, including two open-balcony trams for tourists and private hire and one special maintenance tram, make up the world's only fully double-decker tram fleet. The trams recorded an average of 223 744 passenger trips daily in 2003. Fares were $2 for adults and $1 for children aged under 12 and senior citizens aged 65 or above.

Peak Tram

Hong Kong's other tramway is a cable-hauled funicular railway operated by the Peak Tramways Company Limited from Central (Garden Road) to the Peak. The 1.4- kilometre tramway began operation in 1888 and was modernised in 1989. It served an average of 8 471 passengers a day in 2003, mostly tourists and local sightseers. One- way fares for adults, children aged under 12 and senior citizens aged 65 or above were $20, $6 and $7, respectively.

The period of right granted to the Peak Tramways Company Limited to run and operate the Peak Tramway was due to expire at the end of 2003. Taking account of the company's provision of stable and satisfactory service in terms of safety and service aspects and its plans to further improve its operation and passenger facilities, the Chief Executive in Council approved a 10-year extension of the company's operating right.

Other Road-based Passenger Transport

The other road-based passenger transport modes comprising mainly franchised. buses, public light buses, taxis and residents' services account for 66 per cent of all public transport journeys. Franchised buses are the largest road-based carriers and account for about 38 per cent of the total daily public transport volume.

Franchised Buses

Local bus services in Kowloon and the New Territories are largely provided by the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB). At year-end, the company operated 393 bus routes in Kowloon and the New Territories; 23 and 29 cross-harbour routes jointly with Citybus Limited (CTB) and New World First Bus Services Limited (NWFB) respectively; and 11 cross-harbour routes on its own.

The KMB fleet comprised 4 284 licensed vehicles at year-end; 3 509 were air- conditioned and 1 444 wheelchair-accessible. KMB recorded 1.06 billion passenger trips (a daily average of 2.91 million passenger trips) and covered 344.3 million kilometres during the year. Fares ranged from $1.20 to $38 for its regular routes. Children aged under 12 and elderly passengers were offered concessionary fares on all the company's routes.

Local bus services on Hong Kong Island are provided by NWFB and CTB. At year- end, NWFB operated 59 bus routes on Hong Kong Island, 10 serving Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O and 33 cross-harbour routes, 29 of which were operated jointly with KMB. It had a licensed fleet of 730 buses: 729 were air-conditioned and 583 wheelchair-accessible.

NWFB recorded 180.5 million passenger trips (a daily average of 494 624 passenger trips) and covered 59.4 million kilometres during the year. Its fares ranged from $3 to $34.20 on regular routes. Concessionary fares were offered on all routes to children aged under 12 and elderly passengers.

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