XN000022-1984-01-11 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1984

A VERY CLOSE LOOK WAS TAKEN DURING 1983, THEREFORE, AT ALL ASPECTS OF TAXI POLICY AND OPERATIONS, IN GREATER SCOPE AND DETAIL THAN EVER BEFORE. THE REPORT WAS STUDIED BY THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THEN BY THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL. PARTICULAR CARE WAS TAKEN TO OBTAIN A WIDE RANGE OF OPINION AS WELL AS FACTS, AND ALL DISTRICT BOARDS WERE INVITED TO DISCUSS AN INFORMATION PAPER AND PUT FORWARD THEIR VIEWS. THE 14 TAXI ASSOCIATIONS WERE ALSO CONSULTED AND NOTE WAS TAKEN OF PUBLIC OPINION EXPRESSED IN THE MEDIA.

THE REVIEW SHOWED THAT TAXIS CARRIED 1 030 000 PEOPLE A DAY IN SEPTEMBER 1983 - COMPARED WITH 396 000 IN APRIL 1976. THE TWO MAJOR BUS COMPANIES, MTR, KCR AND TRAM FIGURES, FOR THE SAME DATES, TOTALLED 5 222 000 AND 2 941 000.

+THUS, TAX! PASSENGERS INCREASED BY 160 PER CENT OVER THE PERIOD, COMPARED WITH AN INCREASE OF 78 PER CENT IN PASSENGERS CARRIED ON PUBLIC LAND TRANSPORT, SAID MR SCOTT.

THE GENERAL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY SHOWED THAT ONLY SEVEN PER CENT OF TAX! TRIPS WERE URGENT.

+THIS PUTS IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE THE ROLE OF TAXIS AS ESSENTIAL CARRIERS, WHICH IS A THOUGHT SOMETIMES EXPRESSED BY THOSE WHO COMMENT ON TRANSPORT AFFAIRS,+ HE SAID.

THE NUMBER OF TAXIS HAS MORE THAN TREBLED SINCE APRIL 1976 COMPARED WITH AN 80 PER CENT GROWTH IN PRIVATE CARS AND THE TOTAL VEHICLE FLEET OVER THE SAME PERIOD. SINCE THE MAY 1982 INCREASES IN FIRST REGISTRATION TAX AND ANNUAL LICENCES FOR PRIVATE VEHICLES, TAXIS, AS A PROPORTION OF TOTAL TRAFFIC IN ALL THE MAJOR CORRIDORS, HAVE INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY. ABOUT 40 PER CENT OF THE DISTANCE COVERED BY THE TAXI FLEET WAS DUE TO VACANT CABS CRUISING FOR FARES. WAITING TIMES WERE NOW AT AN ALL TIME LOW OF 0.3 OF A MINUTE ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND 1.2 MINUTES IN KOWLOON.

ON FARES, MR SCOTT SAID THAT THESE HAD ACTUALLY FALLEN IN REAL TERMS OVER THE PERIOD 1974-82, DESPITE MONETARY INCREASES. OF 15 CITIES SURVEYED, TAXI FARES IN HONG KONG ARE THE LOWEST.

THE GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL, AFTER CONSIDERING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE REVIEW, AND THE ADVICE OF THE TRANSPORT ADVISORY COMMITTEE DECIDED:

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TAXIS ARE A FORM OF PERSONALISED TRANSPORT AND IN TERMS OF POLICY SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE PRIVATE CARS, NOT LIKE PUBLIC TRANSPORT, IN THE TRANSPORT HIERACHY.

THE NUMBER OF TAXIS SHOULD BE LIMITED TO WHAT THE ROAD NETWORK CAN BEAR.

THERE SHOULD BE A FREEZE ON THE ISSUE OF NEW URBAN TAXI LICENCES CONTINUING TO BE ISSUED BY TENDER AT THE CURRENT RATE OF 50 PER MONTH UP TO A LIMIT OF 3 000.

THERE IS NO LONGER JUSTIFICATION FOR PREFERENTIAL TAXATION FOR TAXIS.

/MR SCOTT