MTR tells passengers 'trains are too busy - take the bus instead'
Plan to ease rush-hour congestion sees monthly passholders get free travel on six KMB routes
MTR passengers holding monthly passes on any of three routes will be able to travel free on six KMB bus routes during the morning rush hour in the latest effort by the rail operator to ease congestion on its trains.
The trial scheme, announced yesterday, will run every Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays, from October 6 to May 29 next year.
Those with monthly passes travelling from Tuen Mun to Nam Cheong or Hung Hom, and from Sheung Shui to East Tsim Sha Tsui will not have to pay bus fares on six KMB routes leaving Tuen Mun, Sheung Shui and Tai Po between 7.15am and 7.55am.
MTR's commercial director, Jeny Yeung Mei-chun, said the scheme was intended to "relieve the high demand pressure points in the rail network during the morning peak period".
It follows the rail company's attempt to ease crowding on trains by rolling out an "early bird" scheme this month. That gives passengers a 25 per cent discount on fares when they exit at one of 29 urban stations between 7.15 and 8.15am.
Transport expert Dr Hung Wing-tat of the Polytechnic University said it was an indication that "the MTR feels it is overloaded and need to divert passengers to the buses".
While he said the scheme could attract some passengers who did not wish to stand for the whole journey or those who live closer to bus stations, Hung cast doubt on its effectiveness overall.
"It is open only to monthly pass holders [so] the effectiveness will not be great," he said, adding that passengers would also need to consider whether the bus took longer than travelling by train.
Moreover, KMB said free travel would only be provided subject to its buses' capacity on the selected routes.
An MTR spokeswoman said the company would review the effectiveness of the scheme after the trial. She said it was too early to say if the scheme would be extended to other areas.
The government announced plans last week to extend the West Rail line with two new stations: one at Tuen Mun South and another at Hung Shui Kiu, where a new population of commuters is expected to be created with the construction of a new town in about 2024.
According to government figures, both the West Rail and East Rail lines were already at maximum capacity during peak hours last year. Upgrades to the signalling system are being carried out to increase train frequencies, but the work will not be completed before 2018.
