Having a fare adjustment mechanism in place for buses could quicken merger talks between the two railway operators, ensuring a similar system could be used for the merged company, Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation chairman Michael Tien Puk-sun said yesterday.
The mechanism would also ease the public's fears the new company would set fares arbitrarily, he said over lunch with reporters.
'When selling the merger of the two rail companies to the public, people are going to have concerns about fares. I think legislators would probably want to see a more transparent system in place,' Mr Tien said.
'I agree with using this system so that there would be less division in society. Less time would be spent on arguing over unimportant things and more time spent on dealing with real issues.'
Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao Sau-tung said on Wednesday details of the fare adjustment mechanism would emerge at the end of this year. Officials had been meeting bus operators, she said.