Transport chief insists MTR fare rules are 'justified'

It is a ''balanced consideration".

According to a release, Secretary for Transport & Housing Prof Anthony Cheung says the service performance arrangement under the MTR’s fare adjustment mechanism will ensure both safety and performance.

Mr Cheung said the mechanism is a balanced consideration, noting the importance of public safety.

The adjustment mechanism announced yesterday includes a penalty mechanism where service disruptions lasting 31 minutes or more would result in the MTR being fined. Mr Cheung said the tiered system uses 31 minutes as the starting point, and longer disruptions and delays will have a higher penalty.

“If we start from a much lower delay time, we are also concerned about whether that would put undue pressure on the frontline repair workers of the MTR Corporation, and whether, in order to meet the time target, they would then sacrifice on the part of safety standards.”

Mr Cheung said the profit sharing mechanism is a breakthrough. Based on the MTR Corporation’s underlying business profits, including profits from property developments and overseas ventures, it allocates a share of profits to an account to support fare concessions.

Regarding the container terminal labour dispute, Mr Cheung said the Transport & Housing Bureau has been mediating with Hong Kong International Terminals and the trade.

There has been a delay in the port’s operation of up to eight days, he said, while the port has maintained 80% productivity.

Mr Cheung hopes the dispute can be resolved soon, so the port can resume normal business.