ENG-2002 — Page 307

TRANSPORT

service. In addition to the facility at the taxi stand outside the Star Ferry Pier in Central, four new LED (light emitting diode) passenger information display panels were erected at taxi stands outside the Tai Po KCR Station, Tung Chung MTR Station, Mong Kok KCR Station and at Tuen Shun Street in Tuen Mun. These panels provide quality taxi services messages and useful taxi information to taxi drivers and passengers.

A Taxi Driver Commendation Scheme Prize Presentation Ceremony was held by the Transport Department and the QTSSC in August to show appreciation of the good conduct of some 500 taxi drivers.

On the same occasion, a QTSSC home page was launched. Apart from this, the Transport Department organised a campaign from early October to year-end to replace taxi driver identity plates free of charge. The design of the new plates was enhanced. During the year, the department published three issues of Taxi Newsletters and provided six taxi information plates at taxi stands in Lantau Island, Sai Kung and Tseung Kwan O.

The department continued to renew clearway restrictions and, where appropriate, to relax such restrictions in order to strengthen the role of taxis in providing personalised service. During the year, restrictions at a total of about 200 locations were relaxed. In addition, 85 taxi pick-up/drop-off points and 21 taxi drop-off points were designated.

On April 11, new arrangements for advertisements on taxis were put in place. These allow for the installation of LED display panels on a taxi's rooftop, and display of advertisements on a taxi's sides and the upper part of the rear windscreen.

The conversion of taxis from diesel fuel to LPG progressed significantly in 2002. At year-end, 16 700 LPG taxis were operating, representing 92 per cent of the entire fleet. There were 41 LPG filling stations in operation.

Ferries

Ferries provide essential transport links to outlying islands where no land transport alternatives are available, and an alternative service within the inner harbour and to other areas in Hong Kong.

At year-end, 10 ferry operators provided licensed passenger ferry services to the outlying islands and across the harbour. One of these operators also provided two franchised passenger

passenger ferry services. These franchised/licensed services were supplemented by about 79 kaito services which provide services to relatively remote parts of Hong Kong.

In 2002, ferries recorded a daily average of about 93 832 passenger trips across the harbour and about 56 826 passenger trips to/from the outlying islands.

Transport Management

Effective transport management is essential for the orderly and safe operation of the transport system. The Government's regulatory powers are provided under the Road Traffic Ordinance. Every effort is made to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of transport management through the use of modern technology in various areas. elaborated below.

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