XN000022-1994-01-19 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 1994

THESE PLANNING STANDARDS ARE BEING REVIEWED AS PART OF A PARKING DEMAND STUDY RECENTLY COMMISSIONED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT.

MR CHAU SAID THE REVIEW OF THE PLANNING STANDARD WOULD HELP ΤΟ ENSURE THAT CONSUMERS' INTERESTS WERE SAFEGUARDED THROUGH THE PROVISION OF ADEQUATE PARKING FACILITIES.

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HEAVIER PENALTIES AGAINST TAXI MALPRACTICES WILL BE CONSIDERED

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SUGGESTION TO IMPOSE HEAVIER PENALTIES FOR REFUSING HIRE AND CHARGING EXCESSIVE FARES BY UNSCRUPULOUS TAXI DRIVERS WILL CERTAINLY BE CONSIDERED BY THE ADMINISTRATION, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, MR HAIDER BARMA, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

REPLYING ΤΟ A QUESTION BY THE HON CHIM PUI-CHUNG IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR BARMA SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALSO CONSIDERING THE FEASIBILITY OF MAKING THESE OFFENCES PUNISHABLE BY FIXED PENALTY TICKETS.

THE POLICE HAD STEPPED UP ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION AGAINST TAXI MALPRACTICES, HE SAID.

ACTION

A TOTAL OF 132 LARGE-SCALE OPERATIONS WERE MOUNTED IN THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, RESULTING IN AN AVERAGE OF 255 PROSECUTIONS PER MONTH.

THIS COMPARES WITH AN AVERAGE OF 12 OPERATIONS AND 52 PROSECUTIONS PER MONTH IN THE FIRST EIGHT MONTHS OF LAST YEAR.

THE COURTS DID TAKE INTO ACCOUNT PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS, MR BARMA SAID, ADDING THAT THREE TAXI DRIVERS HAD HAD THEIR TAXI LICENCES SUSPENDED.

THE

"THIS INTENSIFIED ENFORCEMENT ACTION HAS RESULTED IN A FALL IN NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AGAINST TAXIS FROM A PEAK OF 299 IN JULY 1993 TO 203 IN DECEMBER 1993, HE SAID.

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MR BARMA SAID THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT MONITORED THE QUALITY OF TAXI SERVICES THROUGH REGULAR SURVEYS OF PASSENGER WAITING TIMES AND TIMES BETWEEN EMPTY TAXIS AT POPULAR LOCATIONS, AS WELL

AS THROUGH COMPLAINTS AGAINST TAXI SERVICES RECEIVED BY THEMSELVES, THE TRANSPORT COMPLAINTS UNIT AND THE POLICE.

REGULAR MEETINGS BETWEEN THE TAXI OPERATORS AND THE DEPARTMENT ARE ALSO HELD TO DISCUSS TAXI SERVICES AND POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENT MEASURES, HE SAID.

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TAXI SERVICES ARE REGULATED BY LAW, COVERING THE STANDARD QUALITY OF THE VEHICLES, THE ACCURACY OF THE TAXI METRES, THE STANDARD OF DRIVING AND THE CONDUCT OF THE DRIVERS.

/MR BARMA