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■政府應積極整合區議會及九巴的意見，推動九巴重組路線，紓緩九巴加價壓力。 資料圖片
九巴10月12日表示，現時九巴有七成路線虧蝕，包括一些與港鐵重疊的路線，經營壓力大，會迫切考慮提出加價，如能重組路線，可以紓緩加價壓力。九巴作為與民生息息相關的公共交通機構，應履行社會責任，盡可能不以加價作為彌補成本的手段。不過，重組路線可以節省成本和減省票價，政府應積極整合區議會及九巴的意見，推動九巴重組路線，促進環保之餘，亦能紓緩加價壓力，避免增加市民負擔。
九巴指重組路線經常遭區議會反對，只能透過縮減班次壓縮成本。九巴有責任提供便民路線，區議會也有責任反映市民要求保留路線的意見。重組路線計劃常遭反對，往往由於當局提供的重組路線指引內容粗疏，轉乘車站、分段收費和長者安排付之闕如，也沒有提供轉乘優惠誘因，以致計劃難以得到市民支持。
當局在對九巴的加價申請從嚴把關的同時，亦應積極和九巴商討重組路線策略。現時本港大部分巴士均是歐盟二期、三期，排放量大，重組路線後減少巴士在路上行駛的數量，有助改善空氣質素，當局可提供誘因，促使九巴積極考慮減少巴士數量，重組路線。
Restructure bus routes to relieve the pressure of fare increase
The Kowloon Motor Bus Co. Ltd(KMB) said, on 12 October, that 70% of its routes, including those which overlapped with the services of the MTR, were running at a loss. The company indicated that as its operation is under great pressure, it will have to consider the proposal of raising fares; however, if it can restructure its routes, the pressure of fare increase may be reduced. Being a public transport company that has a considerable bearing on people's livelihood, KMB should perform its social responsibility and try its best not to use fare increase as a means to offset cost. Nevertheless, if restructuring routes can help to cut cost and reduce fare, the government should take an active role in gathering opinions of both the district councils and KMB in order to foster the restructuring of KMB bus routes. In addition to encouraging environmental protection, this can also relieve the pressure of fare increase and avoid putting extra burden on the citizens.
KMB said that its proposals to restructure routes had always been turned down by the district councils and therefore it had to reduce the frequency of service to hold down the cost. KMB has the responsibility to provide services convenient to the people, and the district councils also have the responsibility to reflect views of the people on keeping the routes. In fact, the restructuring proposals were often turned down largely because the route restructuring guidelines provided by the authorities were inadequate. There was no information on interchange bus stop locations, sectional fares as well as elderly concessions, and interchange concessions were not offered as an incentive. These have made it very hard for the bus restructuring proposals to gain general support.
While the authorities should stringently examine the fare increase proposal put forth by KMB; they should also at the same time discuss positively with KMB the strategy of route restructuring. At present, most of the buses in Hong Kong are Euro II and Euro III designs which produce heavy emissions. After route restructuring, the number of buses running on the road will be reduced and that will help improve air quality. The authorities can offer incentives to push KMB to actively consider downsizing its fleet and restructuring its routes. ■Translation by Tung-ming(tungming23@gmail.com)
逢周五見報
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