WEDNESDAY, JULY
34
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OVERCHARGING BY TAXI DRIVERS 'NOT WIDESPREAD' *****
THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS OF OVERCHARGING BY TAXI DRIVERS DOES NOT SEEM TO CALL FOR ANY EXCEPTIONAL MEASURES, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON HARNAM GREWAL, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON RITA FAN, MR GREWAL SAID THE PROBLEM OF OVERCHARGING WAS BEING TACKLED IN THREE WAYS.
FIRSTLY, THE POLICE INVESTIGATED CASES OF OVERCHARGING AND TOOK ENFORCEMENT ACTION WHEN A CASE WAS SUBSTANTIATED.
SECONDLY, AMENDMENTS TO THE ROAD TRAFFIC (PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES) REGULATIONS WERE IN HAND WHICH WOULD REQUIRE TAXI OPERATORS TO DISPLAY INSIDE TAXIS CLEAR SIGNS WHICH INDICATED FARE RATES IN HONG KONG DOLLARS AND THE TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS UNIT.
+THIS MEASURE IS EXPECTED TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY NOVEMBER 1986,+ HE SAID.
THIRDLY, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ISSUED REGULAR WARNINGS TO TAXI OPERATOR ASSOCIATION AT ITS REGULAR CONFERENCES WITH THEM WITH A VIEW TO APPEALING TO THEIR MEMBERS TO WARN THEIR DRIVERS NOT TO ENGAGE IN ANY TYPE OF MALPRACTICE, INCLUDING OVERCHARGING.
IN ADDITION, MR GREWAL SAID, THE GENERAL PROBLEM OF TAXI MALPRACTICES WILL BE EXAMINED BY THE SUB-COMMITTEE WHICH HAS BEEN RECENTLY SET UP BY THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF TAXI POLICY AND OPERATIONS.+
HE POINTED OUT THAT OVERCHARGING OF TAXI FARES WAS AN OFFENCE UNDER REGULATION 47(2) OF THE ROAD TRAFFIC (PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES) REGULATIONS WHICH CARRIED A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF A FINE OF $3 000 AND SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT.
THIS REGULATION WAS IN FORCE AT ALL TIMES AND UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER A TYPHOON SIGNAL WAS HOISTED.
MR GREWAL SAID: +TAXI DRIVERS WHO ATTEMPT TO CHARGE PASSENGERS EXCESSIVE FARES DURING TYPHOONS, OR AT ANY OTHER TIME, RENDER THEMSELVES LIABLE TO PROSECUTION,+
HOWEVER, HE SAID, DURING THE APPROACH OF A TYPHOON, POLICE OFFICERS HAD TO CONCENTRATE ON THE CONTROL AND DIRECTION OF VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND THE REGULATION OF PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENTS WHICH, AT SUCH TIMES, WERE INEVITABLY ABNORMAL.
AS WEATHER