Editorial | Hong Kong should crack down on abuse of HK$2 concession fare while reviewing costs
- The MTR fined nearly 4,300 people for misusing the fare scheme in the nine months through February, while the Transport Department inspected buses and ferries across 650 routes
Whenever there are altruistic social programmes aimed at helping the needy, ageing or otherwise disadvantaged, it seems there are always some who will seek to take advantage. Such has been the case with abuses of the largesse offered to elderly or disabled residents through the government’s fare concession scheme, which allows those qualified to ride a variety of public transport for HK$2 (26 US cents).
The authorities are rightly cracking down.
The MTR Corporation this month said it had fined about 4,260 people between last June through this February for misusing the scheme. The Transport Department also conducted about 350 enforcement actions across 650 routes, including buses and ferries, and inspected about 2,360 passengers for alleged abuses over the same period.
One passenger was fined about HK$14,000 and had to settle around HK$2,000 in unpaid fares. Another was under police investigation for a suspected criminal offence.
Launched in 2012 for those aged 65 and above, and disabled residents, the scheme set a flat HK$2 fare to ride the MTR, franchised buses, ferries, trams, kaito – a small ferry – and the green- and red-topped minibuses that ply the alleys, highways and waterways of Hong Kong. Ten years later, it was expanded to include those 60 and above, provided anyone under 65 applied for a personalised “JoyYou” card with the user’s photo.