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Government public transport fare concession scheme to include five more green minibus routes from April 24
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     Five more green minibus routes will be included in the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities (the Scheme) from April 24 (Sunday).

     The five routes serving Sham Shui Po and Sai Kung districts (see Annex 1) are run by two operators. Both of them will join the Scheme with effect from April 24. Altogether there will be 501 routes run by 156 operators (see Annex 2 for a full list of all routes) under the Scheme, covering around 97 per cent of all green minibus routes and around 98 per cent of all operators.

     All green minibuses participating in the Scheme will carry its logo (see attachment) on their windscreens, next to their side doors and atop their Octopus readers for ease of identification. The operators concerned will also help publicise the Scheme by putting up posters at green minibus termini.

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, was pleased to note that the Scheme has been very well received. "The overall number of daily passenger trips taken by beneficiaries of the Scheme has been increased to around 950 000, from around 740 000 before the Scheme's extension to green minibuses. Every day, an average of some 832 000 trips are made by elderly people and some 118 000 by eligible persons with disabilities.

     "The Scheme has proved highly effective in encouraging the elderly and persons with disabilities to participate in the community. This will facilitate the building of a caring and inclusive society and promote active ageing.

     "The Government will continue to encourage the few remaining green minibus operators to join the Scheme and offer relevant assistance to further expand the Scheme's coverage," Mr Cheung said.

     The Government launched the Scheme in phases starting from June 28, 2012, covering the general Mass Transit Railway (MTR) lines, franchised bus routes operated by five franchised bus companies, ferry routes run by 13 ferry operators and most green minibus routes.

     With the Scheme's extension to green minibuses and the steady rise in Hong Kong's elderly population, the Government's reimbursement of revenue forgone to the operators will rise to around $1.1 billion in 2016-17.

     The Scheme allows elderly people aged 65 or above as well as persons with 100 per cent disabilities aged below 65 receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) or Disability Allowance (DA) to travel on the MTR, the above mentioned bus routes and ferry routes, and green minibuses carrying the logo at any time at a fare of $2 per trip.

     To enjoy the concessionary fare, the elderly can simply use the Elder Octopus or their Personalised Octopus whereas eligible persons with disabilities shall use a Personalised Octopus with "Persons with Disabilities Status".

     Eligible persons with disabilities who have not yet obtained a Personalised Octopus with "Persons with Disabilities Status" may obtain application forms at the Customer Service Centres in designated MTR stations. As for eligible persons with disabilities who are new applicants of CSSA or DA, the Social Welfare Department will, upon approving their CSSA or DA applications, mail them the application forms for the Personalised Octopus with "Persons with Disabilities Status".

     The Scheme is not applicable to fares paid in cash. When the original fare of a journey is below $2, the beneficiaries will only need to pay the original fare.

     Details of the Scheme are available on the Labour and Welfare Bureau's website (www.lwb.gov.hk/fare_concession/index_e.html). For enquiries, please call 1823.

Ends/Monday, April 18, 2016
Issued at HKT 12:00

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