WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1991
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TAXI SERVICES IN HK GENERALLY ADEQUATE
SURVEYS CARRIED OUT BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT HAVE SHOWN THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF TAXI SERVICES IN HONG KONG IS GENERALLY ADEQUATE, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR MICHAEL LEUNG, INFORMED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
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IN A WRITTEN REPLY ΤΟ A QUESTION BY THE HON PETER WOND HONG-YUEN, MR LEUNG SAID THE AVAILABILITY OF URBAN TAXI SERVICES HAD IMPROVED SINCE LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S ROADSIDE AND TAXI STAND SURVEYS WHICH WERE CARRIED OUT IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY EACH YEAR.
THE AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF OCCUPIED TAXIS DROPPED FROM 83 PER CENT TO 80 PER CENT, THE AVERAGE VACANT TAXI HEADWAY REDUCED FROM 1.8 TO 1.4 MINUTES, AND THE AVERAGE PASSENGER WAITING TIME AT TAXI STANDS LOWERED FROM 1.2 TO 0.6 MINUTE.
HE SAID SIMILARLY, SURVEYS ON NEW TERRITORIES TAXI SERVICES. INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER WAITING TIME AT TAXI STANDS AVERAGED 0.2 MINUTE FOR THE THREE YEARS ENDING 1990 AND HAD SINCE IMPROVED TO 0. 1 MINUTE.
LIKEWISE, THE LEVEL OF LANTAU TAXI SERVICES HAD BEEN SHOWN ΤΟ BE ADEQUATE ON THE WHOLE.
THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT SAID то MEET PUBLIC DEMAND FOR TAXI SERVICES, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ASSESSED THE NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL TAXI LICENCES TO BE ISSUED EACH YEAR WITH REFERENCE TO THE FINDINGS OF THOSE SURVEYS.
HOWEVER, SUCH DEMAND NEEDED TO BE BALANCED AGAINST THE LIMITED CAPACITY OF ROADS. ACCOUNT HAD ALSO TO BE TAKEN OF THE IMPACT OF ADDITIONAL LICENCES ON THE VIABILITY OF TAXI OPERATION, HE SAID.
MR LEUNG SAID THE CURRENT POLICY WAS TO ISSUE NO MORE THAN 400 URBAN TAXI LICENCES EVERY TWO YEARS AND
UP TO 100 NEW TERRITORIES TAXI LICENCES IN 1991 AND 1992.
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THE ADMINISTRATION HAD ALSO KEPT UNDER REGULAR REVIEW MEASURES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF TAXI SERVICES AND PROPOSALS WOULD BE PUT THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ADVICE AS NECESSARY, HE ADDED.
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