Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Service to hold hearing to receive oral evidence from invited parties

The following is issued on behalf of the Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Service:

     The Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong's Franchised Bus Service will resume the hearing to receive further oral evidence from the nominated representatives of the Transport Department (TD), next Tuesday (October 16) from 10am to 4.30pm (with a break between 1pm and 2.30pm) at the Auditorium of the Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar. The Committee's rules of procedure for the receipt of oral evidence and notice to the public attending the hearings to receive oral evidence are available on the Committee's website (www.irc-bus.gov.hk/eng/press.html).

     Having received and considered written submissions from various interested parties, and in order to obtain further information, the Committee is in the process of inviting specific interested parties to give oral evidence to the Committee through nominated representatives. Sixteen hearings have been held so far to receive oral evidence from:

(A) Representatives of:

  • the Transport and Housing Bureau;
  • the TD;
  • Hong Kong Police Force;
  • Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB) and Long Win Bus Company Limited
  • the New World First Bus Services Limited and Citybus Limited;
  • the New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited;
  • Tai Po, Sha Tin and Sham Shui Po District Councils;
  • ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Openmatics s.r.o.;
  • the Community for Road Safety;
  • the Motor Transport Workers General Union, including its sub-unions of Citybus Branch, KMB Branch, Long Win Bus Branch, New Lantao Bus Branch and New World Bus Branch;
  • The Federation of Bus Industry Trade Unions, including its members of KMB Staff Union, New World First Bus Company Staff Union and Citybus Limited Employees Union;
  • the KMB Employees Union;
  • the Staff Rights Association of KMB;
  • the Monthly-Rated Drivers Union; and
  • the Part-time Drivers Union

(B) Former employees of the KMB:

  • Mr Alok Jain; and
  • Mr Raymond Cheng

(C) Employees of the KMB:

  • Ms Debby Wong; and
  • Mr Kelvin Yeung

(D) Experts appointed by the Committee –

  • Professor John Stanley; and
  • Mr Mike Weston

     A transcript of that evidence (and a translation in Chinese) is available on the Committee's website (www.irc-bus.gov.hk/eng/transcripts.html).

     The Committee wishes to invite family members of the victims and passengers on board the bus involved in the fatal incident on Tai Po Road, and other recent serious incidents involving franchised bus services, to attend the hearing, and invites them to contact the Secretariat in advance of the hearing if they wish to attend. Except for seats reserved for such persons as well as the media and specifically identified interested parties, all available seats in the hearing venue will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. A registration counter will open at 9.30am on October 16.

     Enquiries regarding the hearing may be directed to the Secretariat of the Committee at 2867 5324.