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Following is a question by the Hon Andrew Cheng and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (June 21):
Question:
Starting from February 19 this year, passengers who take the same franchised bus route or route of the same group (except certain routes) for their return trip on the same day will enjoy return fare discounts if the fare is $10 or more and is paid with Octopus cards. On the other hand, to reduce overlapping of bus routes and put the bus and road resources to optimal use, the Transport Department has encouraged franchised bus companies to implement Bus-bus Interchange schemes in recent years. However, I have recently received many complaints from members of the public who make use of the interchange schemes that they do not enjoy return fare discounts, although the total fare they pay for the two journeys is $10 or more. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the estimated daily average number of these passengers;
(b) of the reasons why it did not ask franchised bus companies to offer return fare discounts to these passengers; and
(c) whether it will discuss with franchised bus companies the offering of return fare discounts to these passengers; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply£º
Madam President,
Franchised bus companies have been actively introducing Bus-bus Interchange (BBI) schemes in recent years. As at end 2005, there were 195 BBI schemes providing interchange concessions ranging from $0.1 to $28. These schemes involve about 400 bus routes (or 70% of the total number of bus routes) and the average daily patronage using these schemes is about 110,000. However, due to the significant number of BBI schemes, complex combination of route interchanges, and yet not all of the schemes involve the use of Octopus cards, the bus companies do not have the daily number of passengers using BBI schemes and pay $10 or more for the combined fares.
We have been actively encouraging public transport operators to introduce different kinds of fare concessions in order to reduce transport expense of the travelling public. The Government has also suggested the bus companies concerned to consider providing same day return fare reduction to passengers interchanging between two routes where the combined fare is $10 or above. Nevertheless, in accordance with the system and spirit of free enterprise, it will be the commercial decision of individual public transport operators on whether to provide fare reduction or concession.
The bus companies point out that oil price hikes and tunnel toll increase have significantly raised their costs, whereas their patronage has dropped as a result of competition with new railways and other public transport modes. They express that they are making strenuous efforts to provide various types of fare reduction and concession initiatives. Should they introduce the same day return fare reduction to passengers interchanging between two routes where the combined fare is $10 or above, their operating conditions will be further affected, thus heighten the pressure for fare increase. In this connection, the bus companies have not provided same day return fare reduction for passengers interchanging between two routes where the combined fare is $10 or above at present.
Notwithstanding, in balancing passengers' calls on fares and the companies' operating conditions, the four franchised bus companies (excluding the New Lantau Bus Company (1973) Limited) launched a series of fare reduction initiatives in early 2006. These include the introduction of a 10% and 5% same day return fare reduction on routes where the single fare is $15 or above and between $10 and $14.9 respectively on February 19 (The fare reduction initiatives for routes where the single fare is $15 or above and of $10 to $14.9 do not cover Airport "A" routes, recreation routes and racecourse routes. The relevant fare reduction initiatives has already been implemented on solely operated routes). In addition, the bus companies implemented the $2 flat fare or half fare, whichever is the lower, for elderly on Sundays and public holidays (The fare reduction initiative does not cover Airport "A" routes and racecourse routes) on January 28. They are also implementing the 47 new BBI schemes by phases.
Ends/Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:48
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