The revamp to Hong Kong’s HK$2 (26 US cents) transport fare concession scheme for the elderly and disabled carried a HK$90 million price tag, with the government paying two-thirds, a Legislative Council finance committee paper revealed on Wednesday.
It also showed that about 220 beneficiaries averaged more than 240 trips a month – equivalent to more than eight trips daily – with one hitting as many as 20 trips a day, in the first year of real-name registration.
The government adjusted the scheme on April 3, requiring beneficiaries to pay 20 per cent of the fare, instead of a flat HK$2 rate, for trips costing more than HK$10.
A 240-trip monthly cap will take effect one year later.
The revamp was made to enhance the long-term financial sustainability of the scheme while reducing abuse.
The government budgeted HK$5.17 billion for the scheme for the 2026-27 financial year. The spending in 2019-20 was HK$1.2 billion.
In the paper, the government revealed the cost of the revamp.
