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Following is a question by the Hon James To and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the Legislative Council meeting today (April 23):
Question:
The section of Route 8 between Shatin and Cheung Sha Wan opened on March 21 this year. During my earlier site visit, I found that the works on the bus-bus interchange stations located at the exits of Eagle's Nest Tunnel on that section had also been completed. However, it has been reported earlier that Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited does not have any plan in the short term to introduce bus routes plying that section, and will consider whether or not to modify the existing bus routes to include that section after another section of Route 8 between Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan has opened. Moreover, I have also been told by the Transport Department that it will consider approving the introduction of public light bus ("PLB") routes plying Route 8. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the estimated number of bus routes which can be accommodated by the 100-metre long modal interchange links for buses located along the eastbound and westbound carriageways of Route 8, taking into account the design of the project or with reference to the information on similar modal interchange links of other tunnels;
(b) whether the Government has discussed with various franchised bus companies before the opening of the above section on introducing bus routes plying the section; given that the works of the section between Tsing Yi and Cheung Sha Wan will not affect the traffic plying between Shatin and Kowloon via Route 8, whether the Government knows why the franchised bus companies do not introduce bus routes plying between Shatin and Kowloon via Route 8; whether the Government has discussed with the franchised bus companies the introduction of the bus routes concerned expeditiously upon the opening of the above section; if it has, of the progress and the possibility of speeding up the progress of introducing the bus routes concerned;
(c) of the progress of introducing the above PLB routes and the anticipated time for successful introduction of such PLB routes; and
(d) whether the Government has estimated the losses incurred so far by not being able to introduce the above bus routes, such as the amount of tunnel tolls forgone, as well as the social costs arising from bus congestion on other highways?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The Transport Department ("TD") projects that each of the about 100-metre long bus bays located along both carriageways of the section of Route 8 between Shatin and Cheung Sha Wan can accommodate around ten bus routes during peak hours, taking into account the works design and with reference to the information on similar bus bays of other tunnels. However, the actual number of bus routes that can be accommodated by these bus bays depends on factors such as the frequency of the bus routes stopping at that stop as well as the boarding and alighting time of passengers.
(b) Prior to the opening of Route 8, TD has discussed with the franchised bus companies the possibility of introducing bus services plying Route 8. Having regard to the fact that there are adequate public transport services between Shatin and the West Kowloon areas, TD does not have any plan to introduce new bus routes plying Route 8 at present. At the same time, TD has been discussing with the bus companies the possibility of diverting the existing bus routes to Route 8. The bus companies indicated that such diversion would affect some of the existing passengers as the diverted routes would not cover some of the existing en route stops. In addition, the diversion would increase the journey distance of some of the routes and hence the travelling time of passengers. The bus companies therefore have not arranged for bus services to ply the section of Route 8 between Shatin and Kowloon at this stage. TD will continue to liaise with the franchised bus companies to jointly examine the need to provide franchised bus services on Route 8.
(c) In view of the adequate public transport services provided between Shatin and the West Kowloon areas, TD has no plan to introduce green minibus routes plying Route 8 at this stage.
(d) In considering whether to introduce new bus routes plying Route 8, the major factors taken into account by TD include passenger demand, traffic conditions, coverage of existing bus networks and impact on the operational efficiency of the bus networks. However, TD would not increase the number of bus routes with a view to increasing the tunnel toll revenue. As there are already adequate public transport services between Shatin and the West Kowloon areas, the introduction of extra new bus routes plying Route 8 will not be able to help improve the traffic conditions. On the contrary, it would increase the overall traffic flow and adversely affect the other busy corridors where the new routes operate.
Ends/Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:33
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