ENG-2008 — Page 304

240 Transport

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 line began operation in 1888 and was modernised in 1989. The Peak Tram records an average of 13 200 passenger trips a day, made mostly by tourists and local sightseers.

Other Road-based Passenger Transport

The other road-based passenger transport modes mainly franchised buses, public light buses, taxis and residents' services of non-franchised buses · account for 64 per cent of all public transport journeys.

Franchised Buses

Franchised buses are the largest road-based carriers and account for about 34 per cent of the total daily public transport volume. 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 320 bus routes in Kowloon and the New Territories and 60 cross-harbour routes on its own. It also operated 29 and 21 cross-harbour routes jointly with Citybus Limited (CTB) and New World First Bus Services Limited (NWFB) respectively.

At year-end, the company had a licensed fleet of 3 925 buses, of which 3 733 were air-conditioned and 1872 were wheelchair-accessible. KMB recorded 990 million passenger trips (a daily average of 2.7 million passenger trips) covering 325 million kilometres of roads during the year.

Bus services on Hong Kong Island are provided by NWFB and CTB. At year-end, NWFB was operating 50 bus routes on Hong Kong Island, eight in Kowloon and Tseung Kwan O and 33 cross-harbour routes, 29 of which were run jointly with. KMB. It had a licensed fleet of 692 air-conditioned buses, of which 548 were wheelchair-accessible.

NWFB recorded 175 million passenger trips (a daily average of 479 400 passenger trips) covering 49.4 million kilometres of roads.

CTB operates two bus networks under two franchises. One of the franchises covers 62 bus routes on Hong Kong Island, one bus route in the New Territories and 29 cross-harbour routes, 21 of which are operated jointly with KMB. Another franchise covers a network of 18 routes plying between the urban areas and North Lantau or the airport.

At year-end, CTB had a licensed fleet of 918 air-conditioned buses, of which 216 were wheelchair-accessible. The company recorded 209 million passenger trips. (a daily average of 571 000 passenger trips) covering 82.7 million kilometres of road.

The Long Win Bus Company Limited provides services between the New Territories and Lantau Island and the airport. The company made 28.9 million passenger trips (a daily average of 78 900 passenger trips) covering 25.6 million