In the absence of a railway system serving the south side of Hong Kong Island, public transport to the area has been in the hands of buses, taxis and minibuses. This monopoly would come to an end if the Mass Transit Railway Corp built a loop connecting the area to the central business and shopping districts.
The threat of competition has upset the bus companies, which are engaging in bluster about withdrawing services from the west and south of the island if the MTR line goes ahead. It is empty talk: buses, after all, compete with the train services all across Hong Kong.
So we can dismiss the chatter of these franchise holders. The benefits of the proposed loop - from environmental improvements through reducing road traffic to, importantly, greater competition and choice for the public - are substantial.
The buses and other road transport companies will face pressure but they also have advantages that assure they can fight back.
The biggest edge buses have over trains - more convenient stops for picking up and setting down passengers, without the need to travel to and from train stations - will apply on the new routes, just as it does elsewhere. As modern buses are comfortable and air-conditioned, they will not lack customers.
Competition will give passengers choice. It could spur improvements and greater efficiency in the road system and result in lower commuting costs for residents and visitors to the south side. Moreover, franchisees cannot complain of not having known about the longstanding plans to create a rail network covering most of the island's population centres.
