ENG-2005 — Page 310

264 Transport

Based on the recommendations of the Transport Advisory Committee's review of the licensing and regulatory framework for non-franchised bus operation completed in July 2004, the Government has been implementing a package of measures to improve the regulation of non-franchised bus operation since April. The measures aim at coordinating the change in non-franchised bus services with demand; strengthening regulatory control over non-franchised bus operation; and enhancing effectiveness and efficiency of enforcement actions.

Minibuses

Hong Kong's minibuses are licensed to carry a maximum of 16 passengers. At year-end, there were 6 204 licensed minibuses. Of these, 4 347 were public light buses (PLBs), and 1 857 were private light buses. Private light buses are authorised to carry only group passengers and are not allowed to collect separate fares.

There are two types of PLBs green and red minibuses. Green minibuses provide scheduled services with fixed routing, fares, vehicle allocation and timetables stipulated by the Transport Department. During the year, there were 2 745 green minibuses operating 352 routes which recorded a daily average of 1 304 550 passenger trips. Red minibuses are not required to operate on fixed routes or timetables and may set their own fares, but they are subject to certain restrictions on their operating areas. There were 1 605 red minibuses in operation and they recorded a daily average of 453 160 passengers trips during the year.

The Transport Department and the Quality Public Light Bus Service Steering Committee have launched a series of schemes to improve the quality of the PLB service. To enhance communication between passengers, the trade and the Government, the eighth and ninth issues of the PLB Newsletter were published in February and December. Two road safety workshops were held for the operators and PLB drivers in February and November to improve the trade's management skills and to remind the drivers about the importance of driving safely. The department also continued to assist the Vocational Training Council with the 'Advanced PLB Driver Training Course' of the Skill Upgrading Scheme.

In addition, it continued to promote and facilitate the provision of on-board facilities for passengers including the installation of seat belts and high-back seats. Two new conditions were introduced during the year to enhance passenger safety on PLBs: a mandatory requirement to install speed display devices came into effect on April 30 and a new condition of the Condition of the Operations of PLB Service to display the hotline telephone numbers of the licensee and Transport Complaint Unit became effective on October 31.

The Government introduced incentive schemes in August 2002 to encourage the early replacement of diesel light buses by vehicles operating on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or electricity. PLB owners who replace their diesel vehicles with those using LPG can apply for a one-off grant of $60,000 while those who replace their vehicles with those using electricity can apply for a one-off $80,000 grant. Owners of diesel private light buses who opt to switch to LPG will be exempted from the first registration tax (electricity-driven vehicles are already exempted from the tax). The