Starting Thursday, the MTR Corporation will offer elderly riders concessionary fares of HK$2 on Wednesdays and public holidays through August, the company announced yesterday.

However, Sunday holidays will be excluded from the discount.

After last year's rail merger, the MTR offered the elderly fare concessions on holidays, through Dec 1. The plan wasn't extended, but there has since been such strong demand for its continuation that MTR reconsidered.

There was added pressure by the fact that the four bus companies said earlier this month that they would extend their HK$2 holiday fares for the elderly until January 2010.

The MTR said it hopes the new concession will make traveling more affordable for senior citizens.

"By offering the special HK$2 promotion on Wednesdays, we hope our elderly passengers can enjoy increased flexibility to visit family and friends and greater participation in community activities," said Jeny Yeung, a general manager with MTR.

She said the elderly passengers are encouraged to travel in non-peak hours.

The concession doesn't include the Airport Express, Light Rail, MTR bus and services to and from Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau stations.

A spokesman for the MTR explained that the Wednesday promotion is being offered because bus companies have already offered Sunday concessions to the elderly.

"We want to give the elderly another option to arrange weekday activities and integrate into the community," the spokesman noted.

But political parties and public transport monitoring groups urged the MTR to include Sundays in the concession.

Andrew Cheng, deputy chairman of the Legislative Council's Panel on Transport, expressed disappointment over the exclusion of Sundays.

He called the new concession "ugly" and "stingy".

He noted that bus companies have agreed to resume the fare concession to the elderly on Sundays and public holidays and said there is no reason why the MTR does not follow suit.

"Without a Sunday concession, the elderly may spend less time with their families," he said.

The Liberal Party welcomed the new promotion but said it cannot fully take care of the needs of the elderly.

Most of the elderly go out on Sundays or holidays, the party's spokesman said, and the promotion period is too short.

To show respect to the elderly, the Liberal party urged the MTR to offer permanent elderly concessions and extend the concession to non-peak hours on all weekdays.

Richard Tsoi, spokesman for the Coalition to Monitor Public Transport and Utilities, criticized the MTR for not respecting the elderly.

He said the elderly may not enjoy the new concession because they seldom go out on Wednesdays.

He said that, according to its financial condition, the MTR should be able to maintain elderly concessions on Sundays.

Aside from the elderly fare concessions, the MTR also offers a 50 percent discount to seniors aged 65 and older if they take the rail to the Ngong Ping 360 cable car.

The joint-promotion with Ngong Ping 360 is valid on all Wednesdays and public holidays until Feb 28.

(HK Edition 12/30/2008 page1)