Usage Statistics for Free Marine Parade Shuttle Bus Service and Cost Assessment of Programme

88 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (a) what was the actual total passenger load for the free Marine Parade shuttle bus since its launch; (b) whether the initial estimate of $1 million remains accurate to the cost of the programme; and (c) how much of that final cost will be publicly funded, including by Community Development Council funds.

Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai: I am answering in my capacity as the Minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association.

The Marine Parade shuttle bus service, a local community programme by the Grassroots Organisations (GROs) of the Marine Parade Town Cluster, was started with the aim of trialling a bus service to meet last-mile connectivity needs as a pilot project.

Usage of the bus service varied across routes, locations and time periods. This reflects a need for the bus as a last mile connector which was more pronounced at certain times of the day and in certain geographical locations. In some areas, usage was low whilst at other areas, it was much higher, at varying times of the day.

The initial estimated pilot cost of $1 million remains accurate. The majority of the funding for the shuttle bus pilot came from donations raised by GROs, supplemented by a $200,000 seed grant provided by the South East Community Development Council.