Transport expenses alleviated

October 16, 2019

(To watch the video with sign language interpretation, click here.)

 

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today proposed three measures to alleviate the burden of transport expenses on the public.

 

Mrs Lam said the Government will enhance the Public Transport Fare Subsidy Scheme by increasing the subsidy rate from one-fourth to one-third of the monthly public transport expenses in excess of $400.

 

The subsidy cap will be raised from the existing level of $300 to $400 per month.

 

As a result, the annual subsidy provided by the Government will increase from $2.3 billion to about $3.1 billion.

 

Mrs Lam also suggested waiving the tolls for the new Tuen Mun - Chek Lap Kok Link Subsea Tunnel and the Lantau Link upon the tunnel’s commissioning scheduled for the end of next year.

 

Similarly, the tolls of the new Tseung Kwan O - Lam Tin Tunnel and the Tseung Kwan O Tunnel will be waived upon commissioning of the new tunnel scheduled for the end of 2021.

 

In view of the operating difficulties faced by the outlying island ferry services, the Government has been providing special helping measures to six ferry routes since 2011 to maintain services and reduce the impact of fare hikes on passengers.

 

The Government will extend these measures to eight other outlying island ferry routes, as well as replace the entire fleets of 11 ferry routes and introduce greener vessels within around a decade from 2021 in two phases.

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