I was concerned about the ignorance of the six Democratic Party legislators who approached me last night to sign their petition for future MTRC and KCRC fare rises to be approved by Legco.
I pointed out several reasons why the two railways should increase their fares, namely: Average fare increases have lagged behind inflation by several per cent in the past five years and current fares constitute a smaller portion of our income than five years ago. MTRC and KCRC are ranked best in the world in service quality, safety, efficiency and value for money. Rail costs are driven by inflation and billions are to be spent on improving facilities. Both MTRC and KCRC are wholly government-owned, and profits go the public in terms of better services.
The legislators had no answers for my arguments other than that both railways are too profitable.
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