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8.3.8 Table 8.4 shows the projected growth in patronage by scheduled public transportfrom 1986 to 2001. An overall growth of 31 % is projected between 1986 and 1996,with the largest gains for the rail services. A further growth of 7% is projected for thefive year period to 2001.8.4OF(excluding Taxi and SPB)Mode1986Number(thous)Boardings Per Day 11996 2y 0 Number %(thous)2001 2Number(thous)Growth86-96 96-01Mass Transit RailwayKowloon-Canton Railway:—Main line heavy rail—Light rail transit 3Hongkong Tramways1 530358 0324221219 26214 7020 6934 37827 4 39424 2 8887 7957 7393 455414877267644371%96%17%99%10%13% 7%11%FerryHongkong and Yaumati Ferry:Cross-harbour servicesOutlying island servicesStar Ferry14243116301125 5215733415252172376-16%29%35%8%12%23%10%12%BusKowloon Motor Bus 4China Motor Bus 4Cross-harbour bus 53034612336398238 84503148721439430830 74413247806470452329744018%31%3%12% 7%5%Minibus ServicesRed MinibusGreen minibus9136031 51611 8198218091 63079180915 1 60014-17% 24%-1%0%4%2%Total Public Transport801110010666100 11 37610031%7%1 Trips per day for MTR and KCR2 Assuming completion of CTS-2 recommended highways and railways3 Including bus feeder services operated by KCRC4 Excluding cross-harbour buses5 Operated by CMB and KMBPeak-Hour Demands8.3.9 (J-ike all major cities, Hong Kong faces the difficulty of providing sufficient publictransport capacity to carry peak period demand. )Prior to the opening of the MTR andmodernisation of the KCR, the peak problem was primarily encountered on buses,ferries and other public transport services. Surveys showed that passengers frequentlymissed the first bus, and sometimes the second and third as well; at ferrypiers, passengers were formed into platoons, again to wait for sometimes two orthree ferries before they could board(Jhe problem is now focused on the rail system.There is always concern for safety of passengers under conditions of overcrowding,but there is additional concern for railways such as the MTR and the KCR because ofthe proximity of passengers to the track on crowded platform edges.,8.3.10 The expansion of the rail system emphasised the peak, since the regularity ofservices independent of road congestion rrjade it easier for passengers to predictarrival time with more confidence. Hence atjthe most congested section of the MTRsystem between Yau Ma Tei and Jordan, 22% of the daily southbound passengervolume occurs in the one-hour period from 8:15 am to 9:1 5 am. The peaking is more157