Protesters say Tseung Kwan O needs a new overnight bus route from Mongkok
Residents of Tseung Kwan O South say they are forced to illegally share taxis from Mongkok after midnight due to the lack of a fast and direct overnight bus service.
About 300 residents use about 60 taxis like minibuses to travel home every night because the N293 bus takes two hours to arrive in Tseung Kwan O, said Luk Ping-choi, a member of Sai Kung District Council, which oversees Tseung Kwan O.
The N293, which costs $14 per adult from Mongkok KCRC station to Sheung Tak Estate in Tseung Kwan O, is the only bus route operating after midnight. It costs about $100 for a taxi on the same route.
'The residents are being forced to illegally share red cabs that charge $30 per head to take five passengers home from Mongkok after the MTR is closed,' Mr Luk said. He complained that not only were illegally shared taxis expensive, they were also risky because the passengers were stripped of insurance cover.
The Sai Kung District Council will today present the Transport Department a petition with the signatures of 6,000 Tseung Kwan O residents calling for a direct bus route linking Mongkok and Tseung Kwan O after midnight.