XN000022-1986-07-02 — Page 21

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 1986

MR THOMAS SAID STATISTICS OF THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS MADE DIRECT TO THE POLICE WERE NOT READILY AVAILABLE. BUT RECORDS WERE AVAILABLE OF THE NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS RESULTING FROM SUCH COMPLAINTS, AND THESE SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 163 PROSECUTIONS IN 1983, 180 IN 1984, AND 272 IN 1985.

THESE INVOLVED, IN THREE YEAR TOTALS: REFUSING HIRE, 218, REFUSING TO DRIVE TO THE REQUIRED DESTINATION, 151- NON-ADHERENCE TO DIRECT ROUTE, 127- AND OVERCHARGING, 71. TAXIMETER OFFENCES ACCOUNTED FOR 48 PROSECUTIONS IN 1985.

+ THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS DOES NOT SEEM TO CALL FOR ANY EXCEPTIONAL MEASURES,+ MR THOMAS SAID. THERE ARE 16 678 LICENSED TAXIS IN HONG KONG OPERATING VIRTUALLY 365 DAYS AND NIGHTS A YEAR.+

NEVERTHELESS, VIGOROUS ENFORCEMENT ACTION WOULD CONTINUE,

HE SAID.

+ AMENDMENTS TO THE ROAD TRAFFIC (PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES) REGULATIONS ARE ALSO PLANNED. THESE WILL ENABLE THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT TO SPECIFY IN GREATER DETAIL THE DESIGN, CONTENT AND POSITIONING OF FARE PLATES IN TAXIS.+

HE SAID THIS PLATE WOULD PROVIDE TAXI PASSENGERS WITH CLEARE INFORMATION ABOUT TAXI FARES AND WOULD ALSO SHOW THE TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS UNIT.

ADVICE ON PARTNERSHIPS FOR MINIBUS OPERATORS

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GREEN MINIBUS OPERATORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO FORMALISE THEIR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR PARTNERS THROUGH THE FORMATION OF PROPERLY INCORPORATED COMPANIES, TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF PARTNERSHIP DISPUTES OCCURRING TO A MINIMUM, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON HARNAM GREWAL, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON POON CHI-FAI, MR GREWAL SAID IN THE EVENT THAT A PARTNERSHIP DISPUTE SHOULD ARISE. LEADING TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A PROLONGED DISRUPTION OF SERVICE. THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WOULD TAKE STEPS TO MINIMISE THE INCONVENIENCE CAUSED TO THE PUBLIC.

THIS COULD BE DONE EITHER BY ARRANGING FOR ALTERNATIVE PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES SUCH AS FRANCHISED BUSES TO BE AUGMENTED FOR THE PERIOD REQUIRED OR BY GRANTING A TEMPORARY LICENCE TO ANOTHER GREEN MINIBUS OPERATOR TO PROVIDE AN EMERGENCY SERVICE, OR BY PURSUING BOTH THESE COURSES OF ACTION AS NECESSARY.

/AT JUNE 30