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立法會 Legislative Council LC Paper No. CB(4)417/17-18 (These minutes have been seen by the Administration) Ref : CB4/PL/TP/1 Panel on Transport Minutes of Policy briefing cum meeting held on Friday, 20 October 2017, at 10:45 am in Conference Room 1 of the Legislative Council Complex Members present : Hon Frankie YICK Chi-ming, SBS, JP (Chairman) Hon LAM Cheuk-ting (Deputy Chairman) Hon Abraham SHEK Lai-him, GBS, JP Hon Tommy CHEUNG Yu-yan, GBS, JP Hon Jeffrey LAM Kin-fung, GBS, JP Hon WONG Ting-kwong, GBS, JP Hon Starry LEE Wai-king, SBS, JP Hon CHAN Hak-kan, BBS, JP Hon Mrs Regina IP LAU Suk-yee, GBS, JP Hon Paul TSE Wai-chun, JP Hon Claudia MO Hon Michael TIEN Puk-sun, BBS, JP Hon Steven HO Chun-yin, BBS Hon WU Chi-wai, MH Hon YIU Si-wing, BBS Hon Charles Peter MOK, JP Hon CHAN Chi-chuen Hon CHAN Han-pan, JP Hon LEUNG Che-cheung, SBS, MH, JP Hon KWOK Wai-keung, JP Dr Hon Fernando CHEUNG Chiu-hung Dr Hon Helena WONG Pik-wan Dr Hon Elizabeth QUAT, BBS, JP Hon POON Siu-ping, BBS, MH Dr Hon CHIANG Lai-wan, JP - 2 - Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok, SBS, MH, JP Hon Alvin YEUNG Hon Andrew WAN Siu-kin Hon CHU Hoi-dick Hon HO Kai-ming Hon Wilson OR Chong-shing, MH Hon CHAN Chun-ying Hon Tanya CHAN Hon CHEUNG Kwok-kwan, JP Hon LUK Chung-hung Hon LAU Kwok-fan, MH Dr Hon CHENG Chung-tai Hon KWONG Chun-yu Hon Jeremy TAM Man-ho Member attending : Hon Alice MAK mei-kuen, BBS, JP Hon Christopher CHEUNG Wah-fung, SBS, JP Members absent : Hon WONG Kwok-kin, SBS, JP Dr Hon KWOK Ka-ki Hon CHUNG Kwok-pan Dr Hon Junius HO Kwan-yiu, JP Hon Kenneth LAU Ip-keung, BBS, MH, JP Public Officers : Agenda item III attending Mr Frank CHAN Fan , JP Secretary for Transport and Housing Mr Joseph LAI Yee-tak, JP Permanent Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport) Dr SO Wai-man, BBS, JP Under Secretary for Transport and Housing Ms Rebecca PUN Ting-ting, JP Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport)1 - 3 - Mr Kevin CHOI, JP Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport) 2 Ms Ivy LAW Chui-mei, JP Deputy Secretary for Transport and Housing (Transport)3 Ms Mable CHAN, JP Commissioner for Transport Mr Daniel CHUNG Kum-wah, JP Director of Highways Clerk in attendance : Ms Sophie LAU Chief Council Secretary (4)2 Staff in attendance : Miss Joyce CHING Senior Council Secretary (4)2 Ms Jacqueline LAW Council Secretary (4)2 Miss Mandy LAM Legislative Assistant (4)2 Action I. Information paper(s) issued since the last meeting LC Paper No. CB(4)55/17-18(01) - Letter from Hon LAM Cheuk-ting on the incident at Lantau Link causing traffic congestion on 17 October 2017 (Chinese version only) LC Paper No. CB(4)52/17-18(01) - Letter from Hon LAM Cheuk-ting on the incident at Tuen - 4 - Mun-Chek Lap Kok Link under the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Project on 16 October 2017 (Chinese version only) Members noted the above papers issued since the last meeting. II. Items for discussion at the next meeting LC Paper No. CB(4)54/17-18(01) - List of outstanding items for discussion LC Paper No. CB(4)54/17-18(02) - List of follow-up actions 2. Members agreed to discuss the following items at the next regular meeting to be held on 17 November 2017 and advance the meeting to start at 10:00 am to allow more time for discussion– (a) 6101TX – "Universal Accessibility" Programme; (b) Proposals on revision of certain fees and charges relating to road traffic (Batch 4); and (c) Preliminary findings of the toll rationalisation study of three road harbour crossings and three land tunnels between Kowloon and Sha Tin. III. Briefing by the Secretary for Transport and Housing on the Chief Executive's 2017 Policy Address LC Paper No. CB(4)54/17-18(03) - Administration's paper on 2017 Policy Address and Policy Agenda ⎯⎯ Transport-related Policy Initiatives of the Transport and Housing Bureau - 5 - Other relevant documents The Chief Executive's 2017 Policy Address The Chief Executive's 2017 Policy Agenda 3. At the invitation of the Chairman, Secretary for Transport and Housing ("STH") briefed members on the transport-related policy initiatives of the Transport and Housing Bureau ("THB") featured in the 2017 Policy Address, details of which were set out in the Administration's paper (LC Paper No. CB(4)54/17-18(03)). (Post-meeting note: The speaking note of STH was issued to members vide LC Paper No. CB(4)92/17-18(01) on 24 October 2017.) Introducing Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme 4. Referring to the Administration's proposal to introduce the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme (“the Scheme”), Mr Micheal TIEN expressed that the scope of the Scheme should cover red minibuses ("RMBs") and non-franchised buses providing residents' services ("RS"). Mr TIEN urged the Administration to explore feasible options to include RMBs and RS under the Scheme so that commuters who travelled frequently by these two modes could also benefit. Mr CHAN Han-pan, Mr LAU Kwok-fan, Mr CHAN Chun-ying, Ms Alice MAK, Mr LUK Chung-hung, Dr Elizabeth QUAT, Mr POON Siu-ping, Mr Wilson OR and Mr KWOK Wai-Keung concurred with Mr TIEN's view. Mr CHAN Han-pan pointed out that RS was a major mode of transportation for residents in Discovery Bay and Park Island and Ms Alice MAK raised similar concern for residents of Yuen Long and Tuen Mun who were frequent users of RS. Mr LUK Chung-hung also suggested that the Administration should consider including student services under the Scheme. STH responded that Administration was open to views and suggestions, and would consider and study further carefully. 5. To avoid abuse by parallel traders, Mr Michael TIEN suggested that commuters must pay the fares of cross-boundary trips with Personalised Octopus cards in order to benefit from the Scheme and it should be stipulated that each commuter would be entitled to subsidy under one designated Personalised Octopus card only. Mr LAU Kwok-fan and Mr CHAN Chun-ying made similar suggestion. - 6 - 6. STH advised that the proposed Scheme aimed at adopting a simple and convenient approach. Any additional restrictions would inevitably complicate the Scheme, increase the administrative costs and cause inconvenience to the commuting public. STH further advised that based on the actual usage data of Octopus cards, commuters who spent over $2,000 per month on public transport expenses amounted to a small four-digit number only. The chance of abuse would be slim under the proposed Scheme since the commuters would still have to pay for the first $400 of the monthly public transport expenses, and 75% of the expenses exceeding that. The subsidy was also subject to a maximum of $300 per month. 7. Mr LAM Cheuk-ting suggested that the Administration should consider lowering the public transport expense threshold of $400 and raising the maximum amount of subsidy per person per month. Mr CHAN Chi-chuen also enquired about how the Administration came up with the estimated annual subsidy amount of $2 billion and whether there would be any cap for the amount. STH advised that balance had to be sought between relieving the fare burden of commuters and the fiscal prudence principle in using public money. The Administration had taken into account the statistics of the monthly public transport expenses of the commuters when deciding the proposed subsidy level. 8. In response to Mr LEUNG Che-cheung's query, STH clarified that expenses on ferry monthly passes purchased by any payment method would be taken into account in the calculation of the monthly public transport expenses. 9. In response to Mr Wilson OR's enquiry about the time table for reviewing the Scheme, STH responded that the Administration aimed to seek funding approval for the finalized Scheme from the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council ("LegCo") in the next three months and planned to roll out the Scheme within a year upon obtaining funding approval of the Finance Committee of LegCo with a view to benefitting the general public as early as possible. The Administration would closely monitor the operation of the Scheme and consider conducting internal review of the Scheme around one year after its implementation. 10. Mr KWONG Chun-yu enquired whether there was any administrative cost included in the estimated subsidy amount of $2 billion. STH responded that the entire estimate of the $2 billion budget would be provided for subsidy to commuters, whereas the estimated - 7 - administrative cost would be included in the funding proposal for the Scheme to be submitted to the Finance Committee of LegCo. 11. In response to Mrs Regina IP's enquiry on members’ suggestion to cover RS under the Scheme, STH clarified that the discussion was referred to RS (“邨巴”) instead of village vehicles (“鄉村車輛”). Developing Railway East Kowloon line 12. Mr WU Chi-wai expressed concern over the traffic congestion in the vicinity of Clear Water Bay Road. In order to ease the traffic congestion in the above mentioned area and to cope with traffic flow arising from the population growth in the Anderson Road area, Mr WU urged the Administration to expedite the detailed planning for East Kowloon Line. 13. Mr Wilson OR also expressed concern about the progress of the new railway projects.