GOVERNOR Chris Patten congratulated bus companies on their progress in improving transport for the disabled at a summit attended by rehabilitation groups yesterday. Bus operators attending the meeting promised to bring to Hong Kong the world's first double-decker for the disabled amid criticism on their poor progress at making access easier for handicapped commuters.
Handicapped groups such as the Hong Kong Rehabilitation Alliance complained that the disabled were kept away from the community and failed to secure jobs because of a lack of public transport.
Mr Patten said yesterday that progress had been made since the first summit in 1992.
John Chan Cho-chak, managing director of Kowloon Motor Bus, said he had approached overseas vehicle manufacturers to seek new double-deckers for disabled passengers.
'The manufacturers told us that the design of a new super low-floor bus suitable for wheelchair-users is to be developed, and they believed a prototype will be available next year,' he said.
'Disabled-accessible single deckers are popular with some foreign countries, but not double-deckers. Few countries are using double deckers. So Hong Kong may be the first users of the new bus.' The buses will have lower floors, which will only be several centimetres above ground level. At bus stops disabled people may be able to wheel themselves from the pavement and on to the buses.