262 Transport
Taxis
At year-end, there were 15 250 red urban taxis, 2 838 green New Territories. taxis and 50 blue Lantau taxis in Hong Kong, carrying about one million passengers per day.
To improve the operating environment for taxis, the Transport Department has extended a temporary arrangement, which was first introduced in May 2003, to January 31, 2013. This allows taxis to pick up and set down passengers during peak hours and 7 am-to-7 pm restricted zones on roads with speed limits of less than 70 kilometres per hour. At year-end, there were over 270 designated taxi pick-up/drop- off points and taxi drop-off points. The department will continue to provide taxi pick-up/drop-off facilities at suitable locations.
The department and the Quality Taxi Services Steering Committee continued to implement schemes to improve the quality of taxi service. These included updating the information on the light emitting diode display panels and providing additional taxi information plates at appropriate taxi stands. 40 000 free copies of every issue of Taxi Newsletters were published and distributed to taxi drivers, and leaflets were distributed at Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong Disneyland and Lok Ma Chau Control Point to provide useful information on taxi services to taxi drivers, passengers and tourists.
In addition, the department has stepped up its promotional and educational efforts to encourage the charging and paying of taxi fares according to the taximeters.
Ferries
Ferries provide essential transport links to outlying islands where no land transport alternatives are available. They also provide an alternative transport service to and from the inner harbour and other areas in Hong Kong.
At year-end there were 13 franchised and licensed ferry operators running 22 regular passenger ferry services, two dangerous goods vehicular ferry services and two special services for the harbour and for trips to the new towns and outlying islands. These franchised/licensed services were supplemented by 71 'kaito' or small boats routes, which provide services to relatively remote parts of Hong Kong. Ferries recorded a daily average of about 70 500 passenger trips within the harbour and about 65 100 passenger trips to and from the outlying islands.
Transport Management
Effective transport management is essential for the orderly and safe operation of the transport system. The Government's regulatory powers are provided under the Road Traffic Ordinance. Every effort is made to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of transport management through the use of modern technology in a variety of areas.