Hong Kong decides against capping subsidised transport trips for seniors and disabled[ /TITLE]

Hong Kong decides against capping subsidised transport trips for seniors and disabled[ /TITLE]

Hong Kong authorities will not impose a limit on the number of monthly subsidised journeys that eligible elderly and disabled residents can make under the revised transport fare scheme, as the cost of implementation would outweigh any potential savings.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk‑han announced the decision on Friday, noting that data showed only about 450 out of roughly 2.7 million beneficiaries took more than 240 trips in a month between May last year and April this year.

Among those high‑frequency users, approximately 22 percent were disabled, a share considerably higher than the 5 percent representation of disabled people among all beneficiaries, indicating a stronger travel need in this group.

Sun explained that while a trip cap could save several hundred thousand dollars annually, the required system upgrades and testing would cost around HK$30 million (US$3.8 million), making the measure unjustifiable given the small number of frequent users.

“Considering all factors, we have decided not to limit the number of trips,” Sun said.

The new “HK$2 flat rate or 80 percent discount” model took effect on 3 April.

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