Park Island Transport Company Limited (珀麗灣客運有限公司, abbr. PITCL) is a non-franchised bus and licensed ferry operator in Hong Kong, is the principal public transport operator on Ma Wan Island, providing external resident bus and ferry services to Ma Wan islanders under Passenger Service Licence No. 11288A.
Since its establishment, PITCL, together with franchised bus operators KMB and LWB, has been under the umbrella of Transport International, which sold its entire interest in PITCL on 1 June 2009 to a subsidiary of Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited.
Many passengers omit the word "NR" in the numbering of bus routes operated by Park Island Transport, and this even applies to the display of electric signage, for example, Route NR330 is called "330", and the word "NR" on a route information sheet is often overlooked because it is very small in size.
History[]
- The main article of this section is Ma Wan.
Park Island, situated in the north-eastern part of Ma Wan, is developed by Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP). According to the agreement signed between the Government and SHKP on 23 June 1997 in respect of the North East Ma Wan Comprehensive Development Area, SHKP is responsible for the development of Park Island and the Ma Wan Park, as well as the construction of the link road between Ma Wan and the Lantau Link, the associated roads and the ferry piers, and the developer is obliged to provide proper ferry and bus services to and from Ma Wan, but the agreement does not grant the developer any franchise for the provision of bus services between Ma Wan and the outside of the territory.
When the Government planned the transport services for Park Island, the ratio of land and waterborne transport was projected to be 75% and 25% respectively. SHKP was obliged to provide ferry services to avoid overloading the Lantau Link, and was also obliged to provide bus services. According to the Deed of Mutual Covenant (DMC) signed between the Developer and the owners and management company of Park Island, the Developer has a "Sole and exclusive right" to provide external bus and ferry services within Park Island, and the Developer has the right to appoint an agent or contractor to provide such services.
In view of the above, Park Island Transport was incorporated on 2 June 2000 as a 65% joint venture subsidiary of Kowloon Motor Bus Holdings Limited (which was subsequently restructured as Transport International) and Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry Company Limited; and on 23 May the following year, Sun Hung Kai (Ma Wan) Transport Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SHKP, appointed Park Island Transport to provide bus and ferry services to Ma Wan Island.[1][2]
Hong Kong and Kowloon Ferry sold its shareholding in PITCL to KMB Holdings on 13 December 2005[3]; and on 1 June 2009, Transport International, a company restructured from KMB Holdings, sold its entire shareholding in PITCL to Sun Hung Kai Transport Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Sun Hung Kai Properties, at a price of HK$110 million.[4]
Transport services on Ma Wan Island[]
The special geographical environment of Park Island in Ma Wan is restricted by the Roads Control Ordinance, which prohibits vehicles from travelling to and from the island, and residents have to rely on the residents' bus and ferry services provided by the Park Island Transport. The first phase of Park Island was occupied on 11 December 2002 and the bus and ferry services commenced on 14 December[5]. The resident bus service was operated directly within the precincts of the Park Island estate and was assigned by the developer under the Deed of Mutual Covenant to be operated by Parker. At that time, PITCL's fleet consisted of only six 10-metre Dennis Dart low-floor air-conditioned single-decker buses, and three diesel-electric hybrid air-conditioned single-deck buses had been ordered and were expected to commence service in mid-2003.[6]
However, despite the occupation of the housing estate, the performance of the PITCL has not been up to the expectation of the residents, who have never ceased to complain about the transport services. As early as March 2005, PITCL once planned to abolish the bus and ferry fare concessions and increase the fares by 45% to 1.3 times of the normal fares, which aroused strong dissatisfaction among the residents. In the end, the two sides reached a consensus, and PITCL cut some trips in exchange for the decision to suspend the restoration of regular fares. At the end of 2006, PITCL reintroduced the fare increase and proposed to further reduce the frequency of ferry services, which finally triggered an "anti-PITCL wave" in the housing estates.[7][8][9]
Route NR331 serving the old villages in Ma Wan was operated by Siu Fung Transportation in 2003; after four years of operation, the company decided to abandon the service with effect from 15 September 2007. After an open tender exercise conducted by the Ma Wan Rural Committee, the route was taken over by PITCL, which has since monopolised the land-based public transport service in Ma Wan.
Citing the persistently low patronage of the two ferry routes, PITCL proposed in June 2018 to reduce the frequency of the Central ferry route during off-peak hours, and cut the frequency of the Central overnight route and the Airport route, in addition to the fare increases of the Tsing Yi, Kwai Fong, Airport, and Central routes, which aroused strong dissatisfaction from Roy Tam Hoi Pong, a then member of the Tsuen Wan-Ma Wan Constituency, and the residents of Park Island, some of whom even swam out into the sea to hold up a signboard in protest[10][11]. On 8 July, the protest escalated and a rally was held in the vicinity of the entrance and exit of the Park Island Ferry Pier, which was attended by about 1,000 people [12][13]. On the Monday and Tuesday peak commuting hours after the rally, long queues appeared inside Ma Wan Island and at Tsing Yi Station, and residents queried PITCL's retaliation for the rally [14][15]. On 10 July, at dusk, the Government expressed concern about passengers waiting for a long time but not being able to board a bus.[16]
In response to a question raised by LegCo Member Kenneth Chu to Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Ma Wan transport issues at the CE's Question and Answer Session on 12 July, the CE said that the Commissioner for Transport had to take into account the interests of the residents in vetting and approving the proposed reduction of ferry services, and that while there were established procedures for residents of Ma Wan to arrange for their own RS services, the Department would co-operate with the residents, but the Government should not be allowed to take over the Pok Oi RS and the ferry services.[17] The Government also said that it was not the Government's responsibility to take over the PITCL and ferry services. After a tripartite discussion with PITCL and the Park Island Owners' Committee in the evening of 20 July, the TD announced that it had rejected PITCL's application to reduce the frequency of the ferry service between Central and Ma Wan [18]。.
Failing to reduce the ferry frequency, PITCL turned to write to the Park Island Owners' Committee on 19 October 2018, requesting for fare adjustments of the four estate bus routes, with an average increase of 18.4% for residents and 21.5% for visitors, which further aroused controversy[19]. The following year, PITCL even failed to bid for the services of routes NR331 and NR331S for the next three years, as a result, Sun Bus won the bid for the right to operate the services and took over the two routes from 15 December.
On 1 May 2020, overnight route NR338 completed its historical mission and was the first residential bus route cancelled by Park Island Transport. At the same time, only Octopus fares were accepted on all buses, and cash payments were no longer accepted[20]. The owners' committee of Park Island was dissatisfied with the decision and expressed their dissatisfaction with the unilateral agreement signed by Kai Shing Park Island Service on the renewal of the licences of NR330 and NR332[21], which triggered the Ma Wan Kai Fong Association to take the initiative to invite another new company, Cherrywood, to replace all the routes of the PITCL, which was ultimately unsuccessful because of the lack of support from a majority of the residents. The route was eventually suspended for one year and resumed on 1 May of the following year, but with a revised routing.
On 25 September 2022, except for Airport Bus Route NR334, all other routes were included in the $2 Fare Concession Scheme for the Elderly and Eligible Persons with Disabilities.
Routes[]
External routes[]
| Bus route information (External routes) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Route no. | Termini | Full fare | |
| NR330 | Park Island ↔ MTR Tsing Yi Station ● | Visitor: $14.5/Resident concession: $9.8 | |
| NR332 | Park Island ↔ MTR Kwai Fong Station ● (24-hour service) | Visitor: $14.5/Resident concession: $9.8 | |
| NR334 | Park Island ↺ Hong Kong International Airport ● | $32.5 | |
| NR338 | Visitor: Template:NR338/Resident concession: $23.0 | ||
|
Note: Some routes have intra-island section fares of $2.0, which are not listed on the route information sheet. Passengers travelling to and from the ferry piers for interchanging to Central or Tsuen Wan ferries can enjoy Octopus interchange Concession by making use of this section fare.[22] | |||
| External routes once operated by PITCL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route no. | Termini | Full fare |
| NR331 | Ma Wan ↔ Tsuen Wan Station ● | Taken over by Sun Bus on 15 December 2019 |
| NR331S | Ma Wan ↔ MTR Tsuen Wan West Station ● | |
Internal route[]
| Bus roite information (internal route) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Route no. | Termini | Full fare | |
| Ma Wan Island Shuttle Bus | All places on the island | Free | |
In addition, when a number of its ferries need to undergo mechanical repairs or there are breakdowns that make it impossible to allocate sufficient ferry services to the Tsuen Wan and Central routes, PITCL will activate alternative bus-operated ferry services to replace some of the ferry schedules. [23]
Ridership[]
In 2013, an average of about 23,000 passenger trips were made daily on the above routes.[24]
According to a survey conducted by Transport Department in early 2014, the overall occupancy rate of residents' bus services during the busiest period (i.e. 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on weekdays) was about 80% on average. The average waiting time for the two bus routes with the highest patronage, namely NR330 and NR332, was about five minutes.
Bus fleets[]
Since late 2012, PITCL has assigned fleet numbers to its vehicles and posted them on the body of each vehicle, with the format of the code and the form of posting being similar to that of MTR-isation of MTR Bus Division.
| Information of PITCL current fleets | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plate no. | Model | Body | Engine | Gearbox | Year in service | Remarks | |
| City buses/middle-sized buses | |||||||
| HA9428 | MAN NL323 | Gemilang Lion's City Hybrid |
MAN D2066 LUH-32 (Euro 5) |
Voith DIWA 864.5 | 2014 | [Remark 1] | |
| KZ1269 | |||||||
| NG4254 | Enviro200 Dart | Alexander Dennis Enviro200 |
Cummins ISB6.7EV225B (EEV) |
Voith DIWA 854.5 | 2016 | [Remark 2] | |
| LL5041 | 2017 | [Remark 3] | |||||
| LL5808 | |||||||
| LL3004 | |||||||
| LK9179 | |||||||
| LB8858 | 2018 | [Remark 4] | |||||
| LB9730 | |||||||
| LE5705 | |||||||
| LE6074 | |||||||
| Coaches | |||||||
| PP8661 | Sunlong SLK6112 | Sunlong | Cummins ISL8.9E5320B (Euro 5) |
Voith DIWA 864.5 | 2021 | [Remark 5] | |
| RB2545 | 2019 | [Remark 6] | |||||
| RU7468 | 2015 | [Remark 7] | |||||
| PS5462 | 2016 | [Remark 8] | |||||
| RH9910 | 2018 | [Remark 9] | |||||
| LE5811 | Toyota Coaster XZB50R | Toyota | Hino N04C-UH (Euro 5) |
Toyota Aisin A444E (4-speed automatic gearbox) |
2015 | [Remark 10] | |
| MU3915 | Sunlong SLK6102 | Sunlong | Cummins ISB6.7E5250B (Euro 5) |
Voith DIWA 854.5 | 2015 | [Remark 11] | |
| NV3104[Remark 12] | King Long XMQ6117H | King Long | TBC | TBC | 2021 | [Remark 13] | |
| RT4513 | Higer KLQ6119Q | Higer V91 | Cummins ISL8.9E5320B (Euro 5) |
ZF Ecolife 6AP1400B | 2021 | [Remark 14] | |
| MW3441[Remark 15] | BYD C9R | BYD | BYD-3425TZ-XS-A | No gearbox | 2023 | [Remark 16] | |
| MW3648[Remark 17] | |||||||
| PM6822 | MAN RR8 19.360 | Gemilang Lion's Intercity |
MAN D1556 LOH-16 (Euro 6) |
ZF Ecolife 6AP1700B | 2023 | [Remark 18] | |
| Information of PITCL retired fleets | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plate no. | Fleet no. | Model | Body | Engine | Gearbox | Year in service | Remarks |
| City buses/middle-sized buses | |||||||
| KZ1269 | - | Designline Olymbus | Designline | Capstone Microturbine Model 330 HEV |
ZF | 2003－2010 | [Remark 19] |
| LG517 | - | 2003－2008 | |||||
| LG1503 | - | ||||||
| HA9428 | 101 | Dennis DartSLF 10.1m | Plaxton Pointer | Cummins B5.9-14511 (Euro 1) |
Allison AT545 | 2002－2014 | [Remark 20] |
| HB9775 | 102 | 2002－2011 | |||||
| MK7855[Remark 21] | 103 | ||||||
| HC1387 | 104 | ||||||
| HC1586 | 105 | ||||||
| HC1614 | 106 | ||||||
| LB8858 | 107 | Dennis Dart SPD 11.3m | Plaxton Super Pointer 2 |
Cummins ISBe185-30 (Euro 3) |
Voith DIWA 854.3E | 2003－2018 | |
| LB9730 | 108 | ||||||
| LE5705 | 109 | ||||||
| LE6074 | 110 | ||||||
| LK9179 | 111 | 2004－2017 | |||||
| LL3004 | 112 | ||||||
| LL5041 | 113 | ||||||
| LL5808 | 114 | ||||||
| NE3283 | 115 | Alexander Super Pointer |
Cummins ISBe220-31 (Euro 3) |
2008-2024 | [Remark 22] | ||
| LU2001 | 116 | ||||||
| MW3441 | 201 | 2007－2022 | [Remark 23] | ||||
| MW3648 | 202 | ||||||
| MW3933 | 203 | 2007-2023 | [Remark 23] | ||||
| PM6822 | 301 | Young Man JNP6122G | Young Man City New Liner Series |
MAN D0836 LOH-64 (Euro 5) |
Voith DIWA 864.3E | 2010－2019 | [Remark 24] |
| PS3301 | 302 | 2011-2023 | [Remark 25] | ||||
| MK7855 | 303 | 2011-2024 | [Remark 26] | ||||
| HB9775 | 304 | 2011-2022 | |||||
| HC1614 | 305 | 2011-2023 | |||||
| HC1387 | 306 | ||||||
| HC1586 | 307 | 2011-2024 | |||||
| MZ7102 | 308 | [Remark 27] | |||||
| Coaches | |||||||
| LE5811 | 801 | Toyota Coaster BB59R | Toyota | Toyota 15B-FTE (Euro 3) |
Toyota M155 (5-speed manual gearbox) |
2003－2015 | |
| MZ7102 | - | Toyota Coaster XZB59R | Hino N04C-TQ (Euro 4) |
Toyota M551 (5-speed manual gearbox) |
2007－2011 | [Remark 28] | |
| MZ7102 | - | Toyota Coaster BB50R | Toyota 15B-FT (Euro 2) |
Toyota M155 (5-speed manual gearbox) |
2011 | [Remark 29] | |
| KZ1269 | 903 | MAN 18.310 | Asia 4E | MAN D2866 LOH-27 (Euro 3) |
ZF Ecomat 2 5HP602C | 2010－2014 | [Remark 30] |
| NG4254[Remark 31] | 901 | Lions Bus LBC6101 | MTrans MM20 | MAN D0836 LOH-02 (Euro 3) |
ZF (5-speed manual gearbox) |
2008－2016 | |
| PP8661 | 910[Remark 32] | 2008－2021 | [Remark 33] | ||||
| NV3104 | 902 | 2009－2021 | |||||
| RU7468[Remark 34] | 907 | Yutong ZK6119HC | Yutong | Cummins ISCe300-30 (Euro 3) |
ZF 6S-85 (6-speed manual gearbox) |
2012－2015 | [Remark 35] |
| PS5462 | 904 | Yutong ZK6100H | Cummins ISBe250-30 (Euro 3) |
2012－2016 | [Remark 36] | ||
| RB2545 | 905 | 2012－2019 | |||||
| MU3915 | 908 | King Long XMQ6127 | King Long | Cummins ISMe335 (Euro 3) |
ZF | 2012－2014 | [Remark 37] |
| RH9910[Remark 38] | 906 | Isuzu LT134P | Jit Luen JL-07 | Isuzu 6HK1E5N (Euro 3) |
Isuzu MZW6P (5-speed manual gearbox) |
2012－2018 | [Remark 39] |
| RT4513[Remark 40] | 909 | Yutong ZK6100H | Yutong | Cummins ISBe250-30 (Euro 3) |
ZF 6S-85 (6-speed manual gearbox) |
2012－2021 | [Remark 41] |
| PM6822 | - | King Long XMQ6803H | King Long | TBC | TBC | 2019－2023 | [Remark 29] |
Related Incidents[]
- 31 July 2019: At around 5:00am, a Toyota Coaster staff bus carrying six people to Park Island was travelling along the Tsing Yi North Coastal Road, and when it reached the opposite side of Cheung Fat Estate, it crashed into a rock curb on the right side of the road, suspected to be out of control due to slippery road conditions under rainy weather. The four passengers in the vehicle, including the driver, were injured and sent to hospital for treatment.[25][26]
- 29 September 2023: Some parts of buses were stolen from the bus park of Park Island Transport, including the dashboard of three Dennis Dart SPD 11.3m single-decker buses, the gearbox handbrake of a Young Man JNP6122G single-decker bus, the MAN badge of a Young Man JNP6122G single-deck bus (MK7855), and a brand new Gemilang-bodied MAN RR8 19.360 single-decker bus (PM6822), and one licence plate mounted on the interior of the Enviro200 Dart single-decker bus (LL3004). [27]
Gallery[]
PITCL routes[]
PITCL fleets[]
-NR330.JPG "NG4254(E200)-NR330.JPG (1.79 MB)")
_25-03-2021(1).JPG "MK7855 PITCL Free Shuttle Bus(Tsuen Wan to Park Island) 25-03-2021(1).JPG (3.96 MB)")
_25-03-2021(2).JPG "MK7855 PITCL Free Shuttle Bus(Tsuen Wan to Park Island) 25-03-2021(2).JPG (3.11 MB)")
Other[]
Remarks[]
- ↑ Originally reserved with fleet nos. 401、402，however fleet number system cancelled before registration, therefore those numbers were never used
- ↑ Replacing 2008 Lions Bus LBC6101
- ↑ Replacing 2004Dennis Dart SPD 11.3m
- ↑ Replacing 2003Dennis Dart SPD 11.3m
- ↑ Second-handed，Replacing 2008Lions Bus LBC6101
- ↑ Second-handed，Replacing 2007Yutong ZK6100H
- ↑ Replacing 2006Yutong ZK6119HC
- ↑ Replacing 2006Yutong ZK6100H
- ↑ Replacing 2006Isuzu LT134P
- ↑ Replacing 2003Toyota Coaster BB59R
- ↑ Replacing 2007 King Long XMQ6127
- ↑ Former plate no. KV718
- ↑ Second-handed，Replacing 2009 Lions Bus LBC6101
- ↑ Second-handed，replacing 2008 Yutong ZK6100H
- ↑ Former plate no. WK9249
- ↑ Formerly GTour, replacing 2007 Dennis Dart SPD 11.3m
- ↑ Former plate no. WG4658
- ↑ Replacing 2010 Young Man JNP6122G
- ↑ Diesel-electric hybrid bus
- ↑ Bought from KMB, served in KMB from 1997 to 2002. 5 of them were retired in 2011, with no fleet numbers assigned, however PITCL has reserved nos. 102-106
- ↑ Former plate no. HC1062
- ↑ Normal version, total capacity 76 pax, replacing 2003 Designline Olymbus
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Airport version, with luggage racks, used on "Park Island Airport Flyer"
- ↑ Retired due to traffic accident
- ↑ Additional order
- ↑ Replacing 1997 Dennis DartSLF 10.1m
- ↑ Replacing 1998 Toyota Coaster
- ↑ Transferred to another company and re-registered as RA1496
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Second-handed bus
- ↑ Bought from Golden Champion Bus Dealer Company (previously owned by Great Leader Bus Holdings)
- ↑ Former plate no. LU2001
- ↑ Once numbered 909
- ↑ Bought from Huatong Bus
- ↑ Former plate no. JN8949
- ↑ Bought from Golden Champion Bus Dealer Company
- ↑ Bought from Golden Champion Bus Dealer Company
- ↑ Bought from Golden Champion Bus Dealer Company
- ↑ Former plate no. GR1700
- ↑ Third-handed, bought from Lung Wai Tour
- ↑ Former plate no. NG4286
- ↑ Bought from Golden Champion Bus Dealer Company
Related Articles[]
- Discovery Bay Transit Services
- MTR-isation
- Cherrywood
References[]
- ↑ Kowloon Motor Bus Holdings Limited, Connected Transactions, 25 May 2001
- ↑ Transport International Holdings Limited, Continuing Connected Transaction, 26 November 2008
- ↑ Transport International Holdings Limited Annual Report 2005;
- ↑ Transport International Holdings Limited Annual Report 2009
- ↑ Kowloon Motor Bus Holdings Limited Annual Report 2002 - Business Review
- ↑ Kowloon Motor Bus Holdings Limited 2002 Annual Results Announcement, 20 March 2003.
- ↑ 珀麗灣客運減班次狂加價 居民：俾新地氹入局 (PITCL trip reduced but fare increased, residents: got cheated by SHK), Apple Daily, 22 January 2007
- ↑ 珀麗灣反加價遊行1 (Anti-PITCL fare increase rally 1), YouTube
- ↑ 珀麗灣反加價遊行2 (Anti-PITCL fare increase rally 2), YouTube
- ↑ Post of the Facebook page of Roy Tam, Tsuen Wan - Ma Wan District Councillor
- ↑ 抗議渡輪減班次巴士又加價 馬灣居民游出海舉牌抗議 (Protesting against ferry reductions and bus fare increases: Ma Wan residents swam out of the sea holding signboards), Apple Daily, 23 June 2018
- ↑ 珀麗灣申取消渡輪班次 逾千居民抗議 (PITCL applied for cancellation of ferry sailings, thousands of residents protested), Apple Daily, 9 July 2018.
- ↑ "珀麗灣申請削渡輪班次 馬灣千名居民抗議要求維持水陸兩路交通" (PITCL applied for ferry service reductions: 1k Ma Wan residents protested against and demanded maintaining water and land transport), HK01, 8 July 2018.
- ↑ "潘小濤"'s facebook page
- ↑ "馬灣巴士削班 被指報復居民示威" (Bus service reductions in Ma Wan: PITCL accused of retaliating residents' protests), Oriental Daily News, 11 July 2018.
- ↑ "TD's response to media enquiries on residents' service and ferry service for Park Island", Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Press Releases, 10 July 2018
- ↑ "Transcript of remarks by CE at CE's Question and Answer Session", HKSARG Press Release, 12 July 2018.
- ↑ TD rejects application for frequency reduction of Ma Wan - Central ferry service, Hong Kong Government Press Release, 20 July 2018
- ↑ "珀麗灣接駁巴擬加價近20% 運輸署：居民自行協商" (Park Island feeder bus to raise fares for more than 20%; TD: Should be negotiated by residents on their own), Sing Tao Daily, 3 November 2018.
- ↑ Park Island Transport Company Limited, "Adjustment of Bus Services" [Notice].
- ↑ https://www.hkitalk.net/HKiTalk2/thread-1166896-4-1.html
- ↑ Central/Tsuen Wan Ferry Routes Interchange within Ma Wan Area Bus Routes NR330 MTR Tsing Yi Station/NR332 Kwai Fong Metroplaza/NR334 Airport Terminal 2 Interchange Discount Scheme
- ↑ 珀客代替渡輪巴士 (PITCL replaces ferry sailings with buses), hkitalk.net
- ↑ "LCQ5: Public transport services of Ma Wan", Hong Kong Government Press Release, 28 May 2014.
- ↑ 青衣北岸公路邨巴自炒 4人輕傷 (Resident bus crashed at Tsing Yi N Coastal Rd, 4 slightly injured), on.cc, 31 July 2019.
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ 29/09【 #巴士盜竊影響一生 】 (Bus theft makes you regret for life), HK Bus Channel 巴士台 facebook page.
External Links[]
- PITCL website
- Meeting of the Legislative Council Panel on Development on 18 July 2008: “Comprehensive Development Area”, Lease Modification and Land Exchange Arrangements, containing details of the agreement signed between the Government and SHKP on the Ma Wan Development Plan and the original plan to build a large-scale amusement theme park in the Ma Wan Park
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