TNAG-0955-FCO40-1174-Legislation-for-traffic-on-roads-in-Hong-Kong-1980 — Page 381

For discussion

on 8th January 1980

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HKK172!

RECEIVED REXCR(80)13

~JAN Copy No

DESK OFFICER

MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

ISSUE OF URBAN TAXI LICENCES

JANUARY- MARCH 1980

وف اسالا

131 PAJ 2.1

On 19th December 1978, having considered XCC(78)79, the Council advised and the Governor ordered, inter alia, that one hundred urban taxi licences should continue to be issued monthly, by tender, for an indefinite period and that the effectiveness of the package of measures to deal with the taxi problem should be reviewed after nine months. Since December 1978, urban taxi licences have been issued at a rate of 300 every three months and it is intended to issue a further 300 licences for the period January to March 1980.

2

Prior to 1st October 1979, when the Road Traffic (Amendment) (No 3) Ordinance was implemented, the Commissioner for Transport, under the powers conferred on him by regulation 18 B(1), now repealed, of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations, revised the limit on the number of urban taxi licences to take account of the issue of new licences. The present number of vehicles that may be registered and licensed as Hong Kong and Kowloon taxis is currently set, under regulation 18 B(1) of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations, at 8, 169. This limit will have to be increased to 8, 469 if a further 300 licences are to be issued from January to March 1980.

3

Sections 7E(1) and (2) of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Chapter 220) provide that the Governor in Council may, by notice in the Gazette, limit the number of any class or description of vehicle and that such limit shall remain in force for such period not exceeding six months as shall be specified in the notice.

Advice Sought

5

Members will be asked to advise whether:

(a) the total permissible number of motor vehicles classified

as Hong Kong and Kowloon taxis should be raised, under sections 7(E)(1) and (2) of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Chapter 220) to a maximum of 8, 469 to allow an additional 300 taxis to be registered and licensed during the period January to March 1980 and that this limit should be notified in the Gazette:

G.S. 84

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