Hong Kong authorities will not cap the monthly number of subsidised trips that eligible elderly residents and people with disabilities can take under a revamped transport fare scheme, largely because implementation costs would exceed the savings.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han revealed the decision on Friday, as data showed that an average of only about 450 people took more than 240 trips a month under the scheme between May last year and April this year, out of about 2.7 million beneficiaries.
Of these 450 people, about 22 per cent were people with disabilities – a proportion significantly higher than their 5 per cent share of total beneficiaries. Sun said that this variance indicated a greater need for travel among some passengers with disabilities.
He added that while introducing a cap could save several hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars in public funds annually, system updates and testing would cost an estimated HK$30 million (US$3.8 million), making it unjustifiable given the small number of high-frequency users.
“Taking all factors into consideration, we have decided not to limit the number of trips,” Sun said.
The new “HK$2 flat rate or 80 per cent discount” model was implemented on April 3.
Under the revised scheme, beneficiaries pay HK$2 for journeys with an adult fare of HK$10 or less, and 20 per cent of fares above that threshold.
The remaining part of the overhaul, which featured a proposed cap of 240 subsidised trips per month, had originally been scheduled for roll-out next year.