XN000022-1977-08-10 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1977

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NT TAXIS REPORT IN OCTOBER

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A HALF-YEARLY PROGRESS REPORT ON THE OPERATION OF THE NEW TERRITORIES TAXIS WILL BE READY IN ABOUT OCTOBER.

THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. G. BARNES SAID THIS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS FROM DR. THE HON. S.Y. CHUNG,

+THE REPORT WILL INCLUDE A REVIEW ON THE OPERATIONAL BOUNDARIES OF THE SERVICE,+ MR. BARNES ADDED.

MR. BARNES POINTED OUT THE SCHEME HAD SUCCESSFULLY REPLACED THE ILLEGAL PAK PAIS AND PROVIDED A LEGAL TAXI SERVICE IN RURAL AREAS WHERE URBAN TAXIS DID NOT NORMALLY OPERATE.

ON THE QUESTION OF EXTENDING THE OPERATIONAL BOUNDARIES OF THE SERVICE, MR. BARNES SAID THE PRESENT BOUNDARIES WERE DRAWN UP TO EXCLUDE SHA TIN AND TSUEN WAN SINCE THE NEW TOWNS WERE REASONABLY WELL COVERED BY URBAN TAXI SERVICES.

+MOREOVER, THE TRADE IN THESE AREAS COULD WELL DRAW AWAY NUMBERS OF NEW TERRITORIES TAXIS, OPERATING WITH LOWER FARES AND LICENSED FEES, FROM THE RURAL AREAS WHICH THEY ARE INTENDED TO SERVE,+ MR. BARNES ADDED.

THESE IMPORTANT FACTORS TEND TO INDICATE THAT THE +NEED+ TO EXTEND THE OPERATIONAL BOUNDARIES MAY WELL 3E OVER-SHADOWED BY OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, HE NOTED.

THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL, WHEN CREATING THE NEW TERRITORIES TAXIS, ORDERED THAT A REPORT ON THE IR PROGRESS SHOULD BE MADE SIX MONTHS AFTER THE SCHEME CAME INTO FULL OPERATION,

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 750 NEW TERRITORIES TAXI LICENCES WERE BALLOTTED IN THREE BATCHES BETWEEN LAST SEPTEMBER AND JANUARY THIS YEAR. THE MAJORITY OF THE NEW TAXIS WERE INSPECTED AND LICENSED BY APRIL 1977.

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