In brief

KCRC fares 'will drop' after merger with MTR

KCRC chairman Michael Tien Puk-sun assured the public that fares would fall after the planned merger with the MTR Corporation. But he disagreed with recent comments on unfair benefit distribution between long and short journeys in the fare adjustment system. 'In Hong Kong, people can choose to take the bus or the rail or any other sort of transport,' he said.