Independent Review Committee on Hong Kong’s Franchised Bus Service to hold hearings 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 hold hearings to receive oral evidence from nominated representatives of the interested parties as follows:
 

Date/Time Venue Interested Parties
July 30 (Monday)
(10am to 5.30pm, with a break between 1pm and 2.30pm)		 Auditorium of the Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar
 		 Trade unions, representatives of:

(AM session)
Motor Transport Workers General Union, including its sub-unions:

  • Citybus Branch;
  • KMB Branch;
  • Long Win Bus Branch;
  • New Lantao Bus Branch; and
  • New World Bus Branch

 
(PM session)
The Federation of Bus Industry Trade Unions, including its members:

  • KMB Staff Union;
  • New World First Bus Company Staff Union; and
  • Citybus Limited Employees Union
July 31 (Tuesday)
(10am to 5.30pm, with a break between 1pm and 2.30pm)
 		 Auditorium of the Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar KMB Employees Union;
 
Staff Rights Association of KMB;
 
Monthly-Rated Drivers Union; and
 
Part-time Drivers Union
 
August 1 (Wednesday)
(10am to 4.30pm, with a break between 1pm to 2.30pm)		 Auditorium of the Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar Ms Debby Wong and Mr Kelvin Yeung, employees of the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited; and
 
 
Mr Raymond Cheng, a former employee of the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited

     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. Eight hearings have been held so far to receive oral evidence from:

(A) Representatives of –
•    the Transport and Housing Bureau;
•    the Transport Department;
•    the New World First Bus Services Limited and Citybus Limited;
•    the New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited;
•    Tai Po, Shatin and Sham Shui Po District Councils;
•    ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Openmatics s.r.o.; and
•    the Community for Road Safety.

(B) Mr Alok Jain, a former employee of the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited.

     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 hearings, and invites them to contact the Secretariat in advance of the hearings 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 venues will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. A registration counter will open at 9.30am on July 30, July 31 and August 1.

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