Transport subsidy per trip down 8% after HK$2 fare revamp: Chris Sun
Hong Kong's transport subsidy per trip fell 8 per cent after the HK$2 flat fare or 80 per cent discount scheme was revised in April, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said. A digital JoyYou card and a public-built, privately run elderly care model are also planned.
Hong Kong's government has recorded an 8 per cent decrease in transport subsidies per trip since revising its elderly fare concession scheme in April, Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Sunday.
Comparing data from the four months before and after the introduction of the “HK$2 flat rate or 80 per cent discount” model, Sun said the number of high-fare trips costing more than HK$10 fell by 8 per cent. Under the new model, beneficiaries pay HK$2 for journeys with an adult fare of HK$10 or less, and pay 80 per cent off the full fare for trips over HK$10.
Sun also said the digital version of the JoyYou card is expected to launch by the end of the year in collaboration with Octopus Card Limited. The mobile version will offer top-up services, promotional offers for users, and enhanced tracking features to help locate elderly people with dementia who have gone missing. Seniors will retain the flexibility to choose between physical and digital cards, with the option to switch back to a physical card free of charge.
Meanwhile, the government will introduce a “public-built, privately run” model, providing premises or sites for operators to establish elderly care centres on a self-financing or fee-adjusting basis. Sun said demand for senior care in middle-class districts is becoming increasingly diverse, and engaging non-governmental organisations and private operators would provide greater flexibility to meet market needs.
The Policy Address also proposes exploring remote care services through online or hybrid modes. Sun said some non-governmental organisations have already piloted telehealth initiatives in Tuen Mun and Sha Tin. Under these programmes, physiotherapists conduct initial online consultations, allowing limited staff to serve a larger number of patients while maximising resources for those in need.