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LCQ13: Public transport fare concession scheme for the elderly and eligible persons with disabilities
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     Following is a question by the Hon Tang Ka-piu and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, in the Legislative Council today (October 23):

Question:

     Last year, the Government launched the concessionary fare scheme for elderly people aged 65 or above and eligible persons with disabilities to travel on trains, buses and ferries at $2 per trip (the Scheme). Since the Scheme does not cover green minibus and red minibus routes, elderly people and persons with disabilities who need to use minibuses to access to other transport services still have to pay a higher fare, thus discouraging their desire to go out. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the monthly average number of person-trips benefitting from the Scheme and its percentage in the total number of person-trips since the implementation of the Scheme, broken down by mode of public transport; the respective amounts of differential fare reimbursed to the various public transport operators so far and the relevant administrative costs incurred;

(b) of the green minibus routes directly connecting public housing estates and public hospitals at present, as well as the names of the housing estates and hospitals concerned and the districts in which they are situated; the number of such routes not served by alternative franchised buses; the number of meetings held by the working group to study the feasibility and technical details of the inclusion of green minibuses into the Scheme since its establishment last year, as well as the progress and the expected completion date of its work; and whether the authorities will encourage and assist the transport operators in enhancing minibuses' fare collection systems so as to ensure compatibility with the centralised settlement platform of the Scheme; and

(c) as a full review of the Disability Allowance is now underway notwithstanding the Government had indicated that a comprehensive evaluation of the Scheme would be conducted three years after its full implementation, whether the authorities will expeditiously evaluate the Scheme and give concrete responses to the relevant improvement proposals (e.g. lowering the deposit amount and minimum reload value of Personalised Octopus Cards used by the target beneficiaries under the Scheme, expanding the target beneficiaries under the Scheme to include children aged below 12 who are 100% disabled and including more modes of public transport in the Scheme, etc.); if they will, of the relevant timetable; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     My reply to the Hon Tang Ka-piu's question is as follows:

(a) As at end July 2013, the average daily passenger trips of MTR, franchised buses and ferries taken by the elderly and eligible persons with disabilities under the Scheme were listed in Table 1.

     As at end July 2013, the Government's reimbursement of revenue forgone to public transport operators under the Scheme was listed in Table 2.

     The Scheme was launched on different transport modes in phases in 2012-13.  The Scheme was launched on general MTR lines on June 28, 2012. It was then launched on the four franchised bus operators (i.e. Kowloon Motor Bus, New World First Bus, CityBus and Long Win Bus) on August 5 in the same year. The Scheme was further launched on the New Lantao Bus and designated ferry services on March 3, 2013. The Government's operating expenditure involved during this period was around $8 million, which mainly included salary and expenses on auditing and transport surveys. As in 2013-14, the operating expenditure for the Scheme was around $2 million as at end July 2013.

(b) There are currently a total of 122 green minibus (GMB) routes serving public housing estates in various districts in the territory. Details of the names of these public housing estates, the districts they are situated in as well as the GMB routes involved are set out in Annex 1. Apart from GMB, residents of these public housing estates may travel to other districts by various public transport modes in their vicinities.  Separately, there are 30 GMB routes serving different public hospitals in various districts. Details of the names of these hospitals, the districts they are situated in as well as the GMB routes involved are set out in Annex 2. Apart from GMB, passengers may also travel to these hospitals by other public transport modes in their vicinities.

     To examine the feasibility of extending the Scheme to cover GMB, the Transport Department (TD) set up a working group with the minibus trade and the first meeting was held in September last year. TD has since then been exchanging views with the GMB trade through regular trade conferences and informal meetings with the working group members from time to time. TD has also explained the detailed arrangements and principles of the Scheme to all GMB operators in writing, and gathered relevant data and views for further study.

     In addition, TD has discussed with the Octopus Cards Limited on the technical issues involved. Preliminary findings indicate that the fare collection system of minibuses has to be upgraded to ensure that only $2 will be deducted from the beneficiaries' Octopus; accurate daily patronage and fare records will be obtained; and Personalised Octopus with "Persons with Disabilities Status" can be recognised. As the minibus operators have not installed a computerised centralised ticketing management system at present, TD has to examine with the Octopus Cards Limited the interface between the fare collection system of minibuses and the Centralised Settlement Platform of the Scheme with a view to facilitating retention and verification of the patronage and fare records as well as calculation of the revenue forgone for each eligible trip that needs to be reimbursed to the concerned operators.

     There are at present over 150 GMB operators, involving more than 480 routes and 3 000 vehicles. Many of these operators are small in business scale with different modes of operation and financial positions. We would need to discuss with the operators and the Octopus Cards Limited on ways to tackle various technical, accounting and auditing issues, and study various aspects including the policies, actual operational details and financial implications, etc.  

(c) We are planning to extend the Scheme to cover severely disabled children aged below 12 receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance or Disability Allowance in the second quarter of next year (2014). An inter-departmental working group has been convened by the Labour and Welfare Bureau to study the issue of "allowing people with loss of one limb to apply for Disability Allowance". The
study is expected to be completed before the end of next year. Depending on the results of the study, we may then consider the implications to the Scheme.

     Regarding the request for lowering the deposit amount and minimum reload value of Personalised Octopus used by the target beneficiaries under the Scheme, we understand that the MTR Corporation Limited is planning to lower the minimum reload value of Personalised Octopus with "Persons with Disabilities Status" to $10.  It is now upgrading its computer software and undergoing internal administrative procedures.

Ends/Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:35

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