Legislative Council

LC Paper No. CB(1) 1033/98-99(02)

Ref: CB1/PL/TP

Paper for the LegCo Panel on Transport meeting on 26 March 1999

Progress of Year 2000 Compliance Exercise in Transport-related Organizations

Purpose

This paper seeks members' advice on whether the subject of "Progress of Year 2000 (Y2K) Compliance Exercise in Transport-related Organizations" should be discussed at a future Panel meeting.

Progress and Targets of Compliance Exercises

2. At the meeting of the Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting on 8 March 1999 when the captioned subject was considered, members noted that the implementation of Y2K compliance in different sectors is the responsibility of the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) concerned. Its progress is subject to close monitoring by the respective policy bureau, and the Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau assumes a co-ordinating role. Having regard to the importance of the subject matter on the community at large, the Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting decided to request relevant Panels to discuss Y2K compliance in NGOs providing essential services to the public. At the meeting of the House Committee on 12 March 1999, members also agreed that respective Panels should follow-up on the monitoring of Y2K compliance exercise within Government and in NGOs providing essential services.

3. Information provided by the Administration on the progress and targets of compliance exercises undertaken by companies in the railway, franchised buses and ferry sectors are as follows.

Railway companies

4. The Mass Transit Railway Corporation has completed 88% of the rectification work for operational controls systems, and 63% of information technology business systems. The Corporation aims to achieve compliance for its mission-critical operational control systems by the first quarter of 1999 and its mission-critical information technology business systems by mid-1999.

5. The Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation has completed 66% of the rectification work, and aims to achieve compliance by March 1999.

Franchised bus companies

6. The New World First Bus Services Limited is already Y2K compliant. For the remaining four companies, the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB), the Long Win Bus Company Limited, and the New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited (NLB) have completed over 90% of the rectification work. Citybus Limited has completed 50% of the rectification work.

7. KMB and the Long Win Bus Company Limited are both aiming at compliance being achieved by March 1999. NLB and the Citybus Limited aim to achieve compliance by April and July 1999 respectively.

Ferry companies

8. The Star Ferry Company Limited is already Y2K compliant. The Hong Kong & Yaumati Ferry Company Limited has completed 70% of the rectification work, and aims to achieve compliance by June 1999.

Other transport-related organizations

9. Apart from the above, it will also be necessary for the Panel on Transport to ascertain and monitor the progress of Y2K compliance exercises undertaken by the Transport Bureau, the Transport Department and the Highways Department, as well as by NGOs operating other modes of transport and transport-related facilities such as trams and tunnels.

Advice sought

10. Members are invited to advise whether the subject matter set out above should be discussed at a meeting of the Panel. Members may wish to note that the next two regular meetings have been scheduled for 23 April 1999 and 28 May 1999 respectively.

Legislative Council Secretariat
22 March 1999