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DC reform meetings held

The Government held exchange meetings on the theme of improving the district governance system and reforming the District Councils (DCs) at the Central Government Offices today.   Over 80 Hong Kong Special Administrative Region deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) and Hong Kong SAR members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) were there to exchange views on improving the district governance system and supporting the District Council election.   Chief Executive John Lee noted that it is the first major citywide election after improving the district governance system and reforming the DCs, and is of particular significance.   He said it also marks the final mile for the full implementation of the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” in the district governance structure.   The Chief Executive also noted that the election is of great significance to the good governance and the long-term st
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MTR to resolve fare irregularities

Secretary for Transport & Housing Frank Chan today said MTR fare anomalies arising from the existing railway network will be resolved in phases according to the annual fare adjustment mechanism.   In response to a lawmaker's questions at the Legislative Council today, Mr Chan explained that the full commissioning of the Tuen Ma Line connects a number of existing railway lines, including the original West Rail Line and Ma On Shan Line, as well as the East Rail Line.   The fares of these lines were already determined with reference to their own fare structures before the rail merger. In particular, the fare structure of the East Rail Line, which started operations as early as in 1910, is influenced by historical factors and involves the co-existence of domestic and cross-boundary services, making it difficult to be directly compared with other railway lines.   Therefore, in the MTR heavy rail system, the fares of stations which run through the East Rail Line and the original West Rail Line and Ma On Shan Line will be influenced by fares of these lines.   The fares of new railway lines, like the Tuen Ma Line, will in turn be bounded by the fare structure of the existing railway network, resulting in fare anomalies for some trips.   Mr Chan said the MTR Corporation (MTRC) has been carefully handling the situation by adjusting the fare according to the annual fare adjustment mechanism. Given the railway network’s improved connectivity and increasing complexity, fare adjustments involving specific Tuen Ma Line routes or stations must be done prudently as it may affect other railway lines and cause further anomalies.   Subject to the annual fare adjustment rate based on the mechanism, it is expected that the MTRC would take several years to resolve the anomalies, he added.   Currently, the MTRC offers concessionary tickets and fare discounts to reduce the impact of fare anomalies. In collaboration with green minibuses and franchised buses, special interchange discounts and new interchange routes have also been introduced, Mr Chan noted.
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