West island bus routes to be cut as MTR expands

Sixteen bus routes in the Central and Western District could be cut or merged with other routes as demand for services is expected to fall sharply after a new rail link opens next year.

The Transport Department said yesterday it had submitted its plan to the district council and that it hoped plans could be finalised early next year, before the West Island Line, which extends the Island Line to Kennedy Town, comes into service.

Principal transport officer Reginald Chan Ying-kit said the department planned to amend 25 routes. Of those, 16 would be either cancelled or merged. The frequency of buses on seven routes would be changed and two routes would be altered. He expected a 30-40 per cent decline in the number of bus passengers.

Two of the bus routes to be merged with other routes are route 40, which links Wah Fu Estate and Wan Chai Pier via Queen Mary Hospital, and the harbour crossing 103P, a special morning peak hour service between Pokfield Road and Mong Kok.

Among the routes due to be cancelled are 113, which runs between Kennedy Road and Choi Hung, 23B, between Braemar Hill and Mid-Levels, and M47, between Wah Fu Estate and Central.

Winfield Chong Wing-fai, a Democratic Party member serving the district, said the cancellation of route 113 could not be justified because it went through areas the MTR did not reach, such as Kowloon City. He said the department was also looking into reducing the number of popular minibuses connecting Central to Queen Mary Hospital and the University of Hong Kong. He was doubtful about the plan.