THE Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is under mounting pressure to reduce the morning rush hour surcharge in its current fare review.
Seven Kwai Tsing and Tsuen Wan District Board members met the MTR's finance and planning director, Mr Rob Noble, to voice their concern yesterday.
They called for the scrapping of the 80 cent surcharge on commuters which was introduced five years ago to reduce the number of passengers travelling south along the Nathan Road corridor between 8 am and 9 am.
Around 74,000 passengers travel between Yau Ma Tei and Jordan every hour in the morning peak period.
MTR public relations manager Ms Miranda Leung Chan Chi-wah said the large number of passengers entering Yau Ma Tei station and leaving Jordan station was of particular concern.
Secretary for Transport Mr Michael Leung Man-kin has told legislators in a Transport Panel meeting that the surcharge could be scrapped if alternative transport methods were provided along the Nathan Road corridor during the morning rush hour.