The Transport Advisory Committee will carefully consider the views of bus operators over proposed improvements to the trade.

This was the message from the committee's Working Group on Review of Regulation of Non-franchised Bus Operation who met with operators today.

Chairman Leung On-fook said the body fully understands the operational needs and concerns of the trade, and its wishes that the proposed measures will leave room for non-franchised bus operations and minimise the impact on existing services.

The proposals aim to help better co-ordinate the growth of non-franchised bus services to alleviate oversupply, and improve the existing regulatory regime and enhance the efficiency of enforcement action so law-abiding operators and regular public transport service providers can run in a better environment.

Before submitting recommendations to the committee, the group will also carefully study comments from other transport trades and other sectors. It plans to submit its recommendations in the middle of this year. The committee will then send its review report to the Government for consideration.