On the viability of mass rail transit development

Mass transit services improve mobility and accessibility. It is ideal if the services are financially sustainable, with affordable fares and expedient quality. The mass transit services in Hong Kong, both rail and bus, are renowned for their quality and profitability, superbly addressing the accessibility needs of the city. Hong Kong is also one of the few exceptions that all mass transit services are commercially operated. The analysis of the development of public transit services in Hong Kong over the past two decades shows evidence that the high level of accessibility on mass transit services in the territory can be attributed to several factors: land use policies that encourage the development of compact, high-density township; accompanying transport policies that grant high priority to the development of mass transit facilities; and additional government actions that ensure the financial viability of privately operated public transit services.;The successful experience of Hong Kong in construction and operation of mass transit railways in accordance with commercial principles under intense market competition, especially the innovative approach of synergizing the development of transport facility and property, often serves as benchmarks for many startup rail transit projects considering participation of the private sector in order to improve their financial viability. However, the success of Hong Kong in providing financially sustainable, high-quality and affordable mass transit railway services without direct government subsidies does not mean that its model can be replicated in other metropolitan areas without similar accompanying transport and land use policies as well as comparable demographic and economic conditions. The analysis of the development of railway services in Hong Kong over the years also shows that it is often not the public private partnership model, but rather the effectiveness that the partners manage the factors influencing the accomplishment of the objectives of the rail transit project determines the success or failure of the project.