TD to start second round of consultation for MOS transport plan

In response to press enquiries about progress of the public transport (PT) plan upon commissioning of East Rail Extension, a spokesman for the Transport Department (TD) said today (July 2) that a modified PT plan had been proposed and the next round of public consultation would launch later this month.

"With reference to the local feedback received during the first round of public consultation conducted in February and March this year, the department has made some revisions and modifications to the preliminary PT plan," the spokesman said.

TD proposed the preliminary PT plan to the Shatin District Council's Traffic and Transport Committee on February 19, 2004, and held afterward six Area Consultative Forums for the representatives of local community in March, 2004.

"We learn that residents have reservations about or objections to the proposed cancellation of some bus routes and we have considered revisions to the proposals.

"Concerning the proposed cancellation of cross harbour bus routes plying between Ma On Shan and Hong Kong Island, we will replace the proposal by frequency reduction with terminuses relocated to Admiralty as an alternative.

"The suggested relocation of terminuses is part and parcel of TD's priority to improve the traffic in Central," the spokesman said.

He added that the Government also planned to replace the cancellation proposals of a few routes by frequency reduction, so that residents could continue to use the bus services.

He said to ensure that the affected passengers would not be worse-off in terms of fare as a result of the change, provision of section fare and enhancement of bus-bus interchange concessions on services alternative to routes proposed to be discontinued were included in the modified plan.

The spokesman stressed that the Government fully understood residents' concerns about the impacts of the PT plan.

"The relevant District Councils as well as Traffic and Transport Committees, and Area Consultative Forums will be consulted again on the modified PT plan from early July onwards," the spokesman noted.

Ends/Friday, July 2, 2004