PASSENGERS using the Mass Transit Railway Corporation's Nathan Road corridor face higher charges during peak hours in a new move to ease congestion.
A pilot scheme carried out on the corridor over a three-month period has persuaded MTRC chiefs that the exercise is worthwhile.
In the scheme, both surcharges and concessions were withdrawn and the number of peak hour passengers increased from 73,800 per hour in May to 78,100 in July.
A MTRC spokesman said yesterday the scheme revealed that, if adult surcharges were waived and child/student concessions reinstated at the same time, the number of passengers exceeded the tolerable level of 77,500 people per hour.
She said the corporation was therefore left with two options for passengers using Nathan Road stations - either reinstate adult peak hour surcharges, or withdraw child/student concessions.
The MTRC board would make a decision on the matter next week for implementation in September, she said.
But United Democrat legislator Lee Wing-tat urged the MTRC to maintain its current fares.
