For Information Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities Extens
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For information Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities Extension to Green Minibus Services by Phases PURPOSE This paper briefs Members on the inclusion of one more green minibus (GMB) operator involving a total of 5 routes in the Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities (the Scheme) starting from 28 February 2016 . THE SCHEME Present Position 2. The Scheme enables elderly people and eligible persons with 1 2 disabilities to travel on the general Mass Transit Railway (MTR) lines , 3 4 franchised buses , ferries and GMBs any time at a concessionary fare of $2 per trip. It aims to help build a caring and inclusive society by encouraging these groups to participate more in community activities. The Scheme has been implemented on MTR, franchised buses and ferries in three phases since June 2012, August 2012 and March 2013 respectively. It has also been extended to eligible children with disabilities aged below 12 since May 2014, and further extended to GMBs by phases since March 2015. 3. To date, the total number of eligible beneficiaries under the Scheme is around 1.27 million, with about 1.12 million elderly people aged 65 or above and about 150 000 eligible persons with disabilities. The average daily passenger trips under the Scheme is at present around 945 700, with around 828 600 trips (88%) made by the elderly and the remaining 117 100 trips (12%) made by eligible persons with disabilities. 1 Elderly people refer to those aged 65 or above, whereas eligible persons with disabilities are persons aged below 65 with severe disability as defined under the Disability Allowance receiving the allowance and those with 100% disabilities receiving Comprehensive Social Security Assistance in the same age group. 2 Including all heavy rail services (excluding Airport Express, East Rail Line to and from Lo Wu, Lok Ma Chau and Racecourse Stations, and first-class service of East Rail Line), Light Rail services and MTR bus services. 3 Excluding “A” and “NA” routes to and from the airport, racecourse routes and routes of New Lantao Bus on a pre-booking and group hire services. 4 Designated ferry services excluding deluxe class. 1 Extension of the Scheme to GMBs by Phases 4. The Scheme has been extended to GMB by phases since 29 March 2015. To date, there are a total of 151 GMB operators (95% of the total) included in the Scheme, providing altogether 486 routes (95% of the total). Details of these routes are shown in Annex I . 5. TD has been closely liaising with the remaining GMB operators which are not yet included in the Scheme, encouraging and offering assistance to these operators, with a view to including them in the Scheme as and when they are ready. 6. One more GMB operator is now ready to join the Scheme as from 28 February 2016. This operator is providing 5 routes serving Kowloon City, Yau Tsim Mong and Sham Shui Po. Details are shown in Annex II . This would mean that, as from 28 February 2016, there will be a total of 152 operators (96% of the total) joining the Scheme, providing altogether 491 routes (96% of the total). A press release has been issued and will be issued again nearer 28 February 2016. 7. For the remaining 7 operators (providing 23 routes), some of them have indicated interest in joining the Scheme and are carrying out the necessary preparatory work. The Government will continue to encourage offering assistance to these operators, with a view to including them in the Scheme as and when they are ready. Publicity and Public Promotion 8. The Government will continue distributing logos to those GMBs which have joined the Scheme. These logos will be placed on the windscreens of the GMBs concerned, next to the side doors and atop the Octopus readers. Posters will also be put at the relevant GMB termini to help publicise and promote the Scheme. Information on the GMB routes participating on the Scheme will continue to be uploaded onto the dedicated website of the Scheme set up by the Labour and Welfare Bureau (http://www.lwb.gov.hk/fare_concession/index_e.html) and Transport Department (http://www.td.gov.hk/en/gov_public_transport_fare_concession/index.html). Such information will also be disseminated to the 18 District Offices, elderly centres, and service centres for persons with disabilities, etc. 2 Government’s Financial Commitment 9. The total Government expenditure on the Scheme is around $900 million in 2015-16. This includes, among others, the cost of reimbursing GMB operators under the Scheme which is around $200 million. CONCLUSION 10. The Scheme has been well received by the community. The Government looks to Members of the District Councils for continuing support for the Scheme. Labour and Welfare Bureau Transport Department February 2016 3 Annex I (Page 1 of 20) Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities Extension to Green Minibus Services 486 Route Details of the 151 Operators A. Hong Kong Island Route Origin - Destination The Peak (Public Transport Terminus) - Central (Hong Kong 1 1 Station Public Transport Interchange) Central (Hong Kong Station Public Transport Interchange) - 2 1A Macdonnell Road (Circular) Central (Hong Kong Station Public Transport Interchange) - Old 3 2 Peak Road (Circular) Central (Hong Kong Station Public Transport Interchange) - Po 4 3 Shan Road Central (Hong Kong Station Public Transport Interchange) - 5 3A Conduit Road 6 4A Aberdeen (Shek Pai Wan) - Causeway Bay (Cannon Street) 7 4B Aberdeen (Shek Pai Wan) - Wan Chai (Circular) 8 4C Aberdeen (Shek Pai Wan) - Causeway Bay (Cannon Street) 9 4S Shek Pai Wan - Aberdeen (Circular) Causeway Bay (Cannon Street) - Shum Wan Road Public 10 N4X Transport Terminus (Circular) 11 5 Aberdeen (Nam Ning Street) - Causeway Bay (Lockhart Road) 12 8 Baguio Villas (Lower) - Central (Exchange Square) 13 8X Baguio Villas (Lower) - Central (Exchange Square) 14 9 Central (Exchange Square) - Bowen Road (Circular) Causeway Bay (Jaffe Road) - Cyberport Public Transport 15 10 Interchange Causeway Bay (Jaffe Road) - Cyberport Public Transport 16 10P Interchange 17 12 Kwun Lung Lau - Sai Ying Pun (Circular) 18 13 Sai Wan Estate - Sai Ying Pun (Circular) 19 14M Causeway Bay (Lan Fong Road) - Moorsom Road (Circular) 20 16A Chai Wan Station - Chung Hom Kok (Cheshire Home) 21 16M Chai Wan Station - Ma Hang / Chung Hom Kok 22 16X Chai Wan Station - Stanley Beach Road Remark: Routes on the list include all their overnight services, short-working services, special services and supplementary services (if applicable). Annex I (Page 2 of 20) Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities Extension to Green Minibus Services 486 Route Details of the 151 Operators Route Origin - Destination 23 18M Chai Wan Station - Cape Collinson (Correctional Institution) Chai Wan Industrial City - Sai Wan Ho (Grand Promenade) 24 20 Public Transport Terminus 25 20M Hing Man Estate - Chai Wan Industrial City 26 21A Causeway Bay (Lan Fong Road) - Lai Tak Tsuen (Circular) 27 21M Causeway Bay (Lan Fong Road) - Tai Hang Drive (Circular) 28 22 Pok Fu Lam Gardens - Central (Exchange Square) 29 22S Pok Fu Lam Gardens - Central (Central Ferry Piers) 30 22X Pok Fu Lam Gardens - Central (Central Ferry Piers) 31 23 Kennedy Town Station - Pok Fu Lam (Circular) 32 23M Chi Fu Fa Yuen - Kennedy Town Station (Circular) 33 24A Admiralty Station (Drake Street) - Shiu Fai Terrace (Circular) 34 24M Mount Butler - Admiralty Station (Drake Street) 35 25 Upper Braemar Hill - Causeway Bay (Circular) Stubbs Road (Hong Kong Adventist Hospital) - Causeway Bay 36 26 (Hoi Ping Road) (Circular) 37 27 Ap Lei Chau (Wai Fung Street) - Aberdeen (Sai On Street) 38 28 Baguio Villa (Upper) - Causeway Bay (Sun Wui Road) 39 28S Baguio Villa (Upper) to Causeway Bay (Sun Wui Road) Ap Lei Chau Estate - Shum Wan Road Public Transport Terminus 40 29 (Circular) 41 29A Ap Lei Chau Estate - Ocean Park (Tai Shue Wan) Happy Valley (Holly Road) - Causeway Bay (Lan Fong Road) 42 30 (Circular) 43 31 Tin Wan Estate - Causeway Bay (Jaffe Road) 44 31X Tin Wan Estate - Causeway Bay (Jaffe Road) 45 32 Kornhill - Shau Kei Wan Station 46 32A Mount Parker Lodge - King's Road (Cityplaza) (Circular) 47 33 Kornhill - North Point (Marble Road) 48 33M Kornhill - Tai Koo Station (Circular) 49 35M Aberdeen (Shek Pai Wan) - Wan Chai (Johnston Road) 50 36 Ap Lei Chau (Ping Lan Street) - Wan Chai (Stewart Road) 51 36A Ap Lei Chau (Ping Lan Street) - Wan Chai (Stewart Road) Remark: Routes on the list include all their overnight services, short-working services, special services and supplementary services (if applicable). Annex I (Page 3 of 20) Government Public Transport Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities Extension to Green Minibus Services 486 Route Details of the 151 Operators Route Origin - Destination Ap Lei Chau Praya Road - Causeway Bay (Lee Garden Road) 52 36S (Circular) Ap Lei Chau (Ping Lan Street) - Causeway Bay (Lee Garden 53 36X Road) (Circular) Ap Lei Chau (Ping Lan Street) - Lei Tung Estate / Ap Lei Chau 54 37 Estate (Circular) Ap Lei Chau (Ping Lan Street) - Ap Lei Chau Estate / Lei Tung 55 37A Estate (Circular) 38 Aberdeen (Sai On Street) - Lei Tung Estate (Circular) (Overnight 56 (overnight) Service) 57 39C Yue On Court (Ap Lei Chau) - Aberdeen (Circular) 58 39M Yue On Court (Ap Lei Chau) - Tin Hau Station Aberdeen (Nam Ning Street) - Sham Wan