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Following is a question by the Hon Audrey Eu and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Yau Shing-mu, in the Legislative Council today (June 13):
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council of the following in connection with the Guidelines on Service Improvement and Reduction in Bus Route Development Programmes (Guidelines) issued by the Transport Department as at May 31, 2012:
(a) the route numbers of franchised bus routes which meet the criterion for frequency reduction (i.e. an average occupancy rate below 85% during the busiest half-hour of the peak period, or below 30% during the off-peak period);
(b) the route numbers of franchised bus routes which meet the criterion for frequency improvement (i.e. an occupancy rate of 100% during the busiest half-hour of the peak period and 85% during that one hour, or 60% during the busiest one hour of the off-peak period);
(c) the route numbers of franchised bus routes which meet the criterion for route cancellation or amalgamation with other routes (i.e. an occupancy rate below 50% during the busiest hour although the headway has been maintained at an interval of 15 minutes during peak hours and 30 minutes during off-peak hours);
(d) the route numbers of franchised bus routes which meet the criterion for route truncation (i.e. an occupancy rate of not more than 20% to 30% at the proposed truncated section during the busiest hour); and
(e) the reasons for not having implemented the frequency reduction, frequency improvement, route cancellation or amalgamation with other routes or route truncation, in accordance with the Guidelines for the franchised bus routes which meet the criteria mentioned in (a) to (d)?
Reply:
President,
In view of factors such as district development and commissioning of new infrastructure, the public demand for franchised bus services changes over time. The Transport Department (TD) reviews from time to time the changes in passenger demand for franchised bus services, and discusses with the franchised bus companies the corresponding service adjustments in order to meet passenger demand.
In formulating franchised bus route development programmes, TD will consider proposals to enhance or reduce bus services according to the "Guidelines on Service Improvement and Reduction in Bus Route Development Programmes" (Guidelines) at Annex 1. Apart from specifying various occupancy rates as a factor for consideration for service enhancement or reduction, the Guidelines also set out other relevant factors to be taken into account. They include the nature of the bus routes proposed to be cancelled, amalgamated or reduced; the availability of reasonable alternative services; the level of fares of alternative services; operational issues for interchange by passengers; the impact on bus captains; and environmental benefits arising from the service change. TD will take into consideration all the relevant factors to minimise the impact of service adjustments on passengers as far as possible so as to safeguard their interests.
Under the 2012-13 bus route development programme, details of bus routes meeting the Guidelines are as follows (note):
(1) a total of 26 franchised bus routes for consideration of frequency reduction;
(2) a total of 42 franchised bus routes for consideration of frequency improvement;
(3) a total of 10 franchised bus routes for consideration of route cancellation or amalgamation; and
(4) three franchised bus routes for consideration of route truncation.
Details of the franchised bus routes mentioned in (1) to (4) above are at Annex 2.
As TD is currently consulting the District Councils concerned and relevant local communities regarding the above bus route development programme, there is no specific implementation date at this moment for the proposals regarding those routes which meet the Guidelines for consideration of frequency reduction, frequency improvement, route cancellation or amalgamation, and route truncation.
Note: Each main route and its supplementary route are regarded as one route. Routes with reduced services on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays only are not included.
Ends/Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Issued at HKT 12:01
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