ENG-2004 — Page 325

Transport 275

Taking into account the Peak Tramways Company Limited's provision of stable. and satisfactory service and its plans to further improve the Peak Tram's operation and passenger facilities, the operating right of the company has been extended for 10 years from January 2004.

Other Road-based Passenger Transport

The other road-based passenger transport modes

mainly franchised buses,

public light buses, taxis and residents' services - account for 64 per cent of all public transport journeys. Franchised buses are the largest road-based carriers and account for about 37 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 387 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 4 141 licensed vehicles at year-end; 3 614 were air-conditioned and 1 651 wheelchair-accessible. KMB recorded 1.06 billion passenger trips (a daily average of 2.91 million passenger trips) and covered 342.8 million kilometres during the year. Its fares ranged from $1.60 to $38 for 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 55 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 695 buses; of which 694 were air-conditioned and 524 wheelchair-accessible.

NWFB recorded 184.6 million passenger trips (a daily average of 504 451 passenger trips) and covered 56.4 million kilometres during the year. Its fares ranged from $3 to $34.20 for the regular routes. Concessionary fares were offered on all routes to children aged under 12 and elderly passengers.

CTB operates two bus networks under two franchises. One of the franchises. comprises 65 bus routes on Hong Kong Island and 31 cross-harbour routes, 23 of which are operated jointly with KMB. Another franchise comprises a network of 16 routes linking major districts in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon with Tung Chung and the airport.

At year-end, CTB had a licensed fleet of 911 buses, all of which were air- conditioned, and 129 wheelchair-accessible. The company recorded 210.8 million passenger trips (a daily average of 575 964 passenger trips) and covered 84.2 million kilometres during the year. Its fares ranged from $2.50 to $45 for the regular routes. Concessionary fares were offered to children aged under 12, and elderly passengers on Hong Kong Island routes (except recreational routes) and on cross-harbour and Tung Chung/airport routes.