Old buses seriously uncomfortable
I am writing regarding the New World First Bus service to Shek O on the infamous No 9 bus route.
While many First Bus routes around Hong Kong have seen a switch from tired, old, slow, dirty and environmentally unfriendly buses to fast, new, clean and efficient vehicles, ours has not.
In fact, not only do we have no idea when we can expect to see better vehicles serving our route, we are now having to use older vehicles than the ones we had previously.
Until a few months ago we rode vehicles numbered LV124, LV136 and the like. Now buses numbered LV1, LV2, LV6, etc, have been assigned to our route. It seems our route has become a dumping ground for the oldest buses in the fleet.
These buses, which are the only regular transport from Big Wave Bay and Shek O to Shau Kei Wan, are used every day not only by commuters and day-trippers coming to the beach, but also by elderly people, pregnant women and small children.
They are not only slow and noisy, but seriously uncomfortable, to the point where passengers fear injury from jolting against the hard seat backs and metal bars across the windows - not to mention the lack of suspension - as the buses negotiate the bends and frequent roadworks on Shek O Road.
When can we expect new vehicles? In all other respects First Bus is doing a great job with new express bus routes from Shau Kei Wan to Causeway Bay, Wan Chai and Central which started earlier this year.
I have tried to get information from the First Bus Web site, but it crashes every computer from which I try to download the English pages. I look forward to a reply through these pages.
CLARE COCHRANE Shek O
