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Following is a question by the Hon Albert Chan Wai-yip and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Transport and Housing, Yau Shing-mu, in the Legislative Council today (May 15):
Question:
I raised a question at the meeting of this Council on May 2, 2012 regarding the issue that most of the bus trips on the routes to and from Tin Shui Wai were not serviced by wheelchair accessible low-floor buses. It has been learnt that, at present, some of the trips of these routes are still not serviced by low-floor buses, resulting in wheelchair users having to wait usually for more than 30 minutes for such buses. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the number and percentage of low-floor buses added to the fleet of each franchised bus company between April 2012 and April 2013;
(b) of the daily number of bus trips serviced by low-floor buses on the routes to and from Tin Shui Wai at present; the percentage of such trips in the total number of the relevant bus trips; and how such figures compare with those in April 2012; and
(c) whether it will consider afresh adding a clause to the franchise agreements with the bus companies in the future to require them to retrofit facilities on all in-service non-low-floor buses to make it convenient for wheelchair users to board and alight buses; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
(a) The total number of wheelchair accessible low-floor buses in the franchised bus fleet has increased from 3,602 in end-April 2012 to 3,855 in end-March 2013*, representing a growth of 7 per cent. Currently, about 68 per cent of franchised buses in Hong Kong are low-floor buses. The number of low-floor buses by franchised bus companies is set out at the Annex.
(b) As regards bus service to and from Tin Shui Wai, the total number of bus trips made in end-April 2012 was 3,320 per day, of which 2,803 or about 84 per cent were provided by low-floor buses. With an enhancement in service frequency of the West Rail Line last year, passenger demand for bus service has consequentially decreased. To ensure the proper use of resources, the Transport Department and franchised bus companies have adjusted the service frequency of some bus routes serving Tin Shui Wai. In end-March 2013, the total number of bus trips to and from Tin Shui Wai was 3,199 per day, of which 2,724 or about 85 per cent were operated by low-floor buses. This percentage is higher than that of low-floor buses in the entire bus fleet in Hong Kong (ie 68 per cent as stated in part (a) above).
(c) Since 2001, all franchised bus companies have been acquiring wheelchair accessible low-floor models for all new buses purchased as additional or replacement vehicles. The New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited (NLB) is an exception. This is because low-floor buses are not suitable for operation on some roads with steep gradient and sharp bends in South Lantau. NLB can therefore only procure as far as possible wheelchair accessible low-floor buses for use on bus routes not covering such roads. As a low-floor bus requires a purpose-made frame for its structure and facilities, it is not feasible to modify serving non-low-floor buses into low-floor ones. Nevertheless, according to the current bus replacement programme, it is projected that all franchised buses (except for a small number of NLB buses) will become low-floor and wheelchair accessible by around 2015/16.
* The figures as at end-March 2013 are the latest available data.
Ends/Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Issued at HKT 12:31
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