A new rail line helped MTR Corp's passenger numbers jump 2.32 per cent to 777.17 million last year, but the growth was still at the lower end of analysts' forecasts.
The full-year patronage figure for the five Mass Transit Railway urban lines compared with forecasts of ING Financial Markets of 2.1 per cent, UBS Warburg 3.5 per cent and HSBC Securities 2.3 per cent.
The growth, helped by the four months' contribution of the Tseung Kwan O rail extension, underlined a poor economic climate and fierce competition from other modes of transport.
Yesterday, MTR Corp spokesman Jeremy Lau said last year's figures were helped by a year-on-year 5.87 per cent rise in December's patronage as a result of record traffic around the Christmas period.
'The MTR trains ran round the clock for two nights last month and Christmas Eve saw record-high passenger numbers of about three million,' Mr Lau said.
The Airport Express rail line, however, saw passenger volume backpedal 6.75 per cent to 8.45 million for the 12 months to December 31 last year.
