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Written by: Commentary Editing Room
2021-03-07 07:00
Last update date: 2021-03-07 07:00
The Government MTR will announce the results of the review of the fare adjustment mechanism at the end of this month, which is expected to take effect at the end of June.
The epidemic has hit the local economy, but the fares may not be able to be lowered, and eventually the fares may only be frozen.
MTR Chairman Ouyang Boquan emphasized that the mechanism is transparent, but when the mechanism fails to reflect factors such as economic recession and lower wages and prices, it reflects its own obvious flaws.
The MTR is a public transport organization with the largest number of passengers. As a major shareholder, the government should lead by example, with the goal of reducing the burden on people's lives, and reforming transport policies to implement fairness and justice.
MTR Chairman Ouyang Boquan.
(Profile picture)
Chairman, don’t catch the wrong use of God
MTR’s fare has been 20% off since July last year, but this concession was only launched in response to the epidemic and will end at the end of this month.
The epidemic is not over and the economic recovery is still some time away. The citizens naturally expect the discount to continue. However, Ouyang Boquan did not explain whether the discount will continue in the interview. This is offset by the increase reserved for the past two years, so it is likely that the price freeze will end in the end.
If the 20% discount is not renewed by then, the new fare will increase by about 25% over the current price, which is completely contrary to the economic environment.
Ouyang Boquan emphasized that the mechanism is "absolutely black box," and he obviously misused God.
In the past, before the merger of the two railways, the public did doubt that there were no criteria for the MTR fare adjustments. It is natural to formulate a transparent and open equation afterwards. However, the reason for the public complaints today has become the socio-economic downturn and the MTR fares remain unchanged. The chairman of the MTR must face questions from the public.
Fare adjustment formula:
0.5 x December's change in the composite consumer price index (-0.7%)
+ 0.5 x December wage index changes (unannounced)
-Productivity factors (0)
-Additional deduction (0.6%)
= This year's fare adjustment rate
The current fare adjustment mechanism not only reflects the economic situation, but also reflects the level of wages in the transportation industry and shares the benefits of the MTR’s increased productivity. It also drives the MTR to reduce accidents and share results with the people by linking it with profit and service performance.
In all fairness, passengers using railway service should indeed bear part of the operating costs of the MTR. The problem is that the fare mechanism must not deviate too much from its affordability. Even after the people continue to put pressure on the MTR, the MTR will use concessions to offset the fare increase. Width.
What's more, relying on discount hedging itself reflects the lack of a mechanism. Moreover, not all discounts can benefit everyone. Arrangements such as all-month passes and metropolitan tickets are aimed at specific passengers.
The MTR can add or subtract mechanism has been criticized from time to time.
(Profile picture / Photo by Luo Junhao)
Change the fare mechanism, don’t forget to repurchase the MTR
Many scholars and transportation concern organizations have long suggested that the "transportation industry nominal wage index" in the mechanism should be changed to the "transportation industry real wage index" (that is, the nominal index minus the Category A consumer price index), so as to more accurately reflect the industry employees’ Real income, and avoid comparisons between wages and prices during periods of inflation to reflect the actual affordability of citizens.
In fact, if the MTR fare increase in the early years was able to slow down, it would have alleviated the people’s subsequent living burden and suppressed prices. The chance of recovering the fare increase in the next year would naturally become smaller; as for the transportation industry, where the real wages fell more than inflation During the deflation period, this approach can also achieve the effect of price reduction. Even if the real wages of the industry rise over the same period, the variable of the comprehensive consumer price index of the equation will increase the chance of downward adjustment of the final result. At least it should be able to adapt to the affordability.
The above suggestions are undoubtedly worthy of MTR’s reference, but instead of considering the various factors of the formula, MTR should reform the fare system more thoroughly. "Hong Kong 01" has always advocated two yuan per trip, with the purpose of MTR taking the lead in reducing the burden of transportation fees and attracting other modes of transportation. follow.
The outside world does not need to worry about the unsustainable income of the MTR, because income from business and property can subsidize ticket losses.
To fulfill this proposition, the government must first use the power of major shareholders to repurchase the MTR and then restructure its business. Of course, the specific plan for reducing fares and repurchasing still needs to be planned in detail, but the authorities must at least declare their determination to care for the public. The well-being of life is also atonement for the decision to list MTR in the past.
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｜Yu Pinhai
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