ENG-2005 — Page 311

Transport 265

deadline for applications was the end of 2005 for those that are less than 10 years old at the time of de-registration. At year-end, 2 390 LPG PLBs and 125 LPG private light buses were operating on the roads. One electricity-driven private light bus was in operation.

Taxis

At year-end, there were 15 250 red urban taxis, 2 838 green New Territories taxis and 50 blue Lantau taxis in Hong Kong, and they carried about one million passengers per day.

To improve the operating environment for taxis, the Transport Department has extended the temporary arrangement, which was introduced in May 2003, to January 31, 2007 to allow all taxis to pick up and set down passengers in all peak hours and 7am-to-7pm restricted zones on roads with speed limits less than 70 kilometres per hour. At year-end, there were over 230 designated taxi pick-up/drop-off points and 46 taxi drop-off points. The department will continue to provide taxi pick-up/drop-off facilities at suitable locations.

The department and the Quality Taxi Services Steering Committee continued to implement schemes to improve the quality of taxi service, including updating the information on the light emitting diode display panels and providing additional taxi information plates at various taxi stands, plus publishing and distribution of 40 000 copies of Taxi Newsletters to taxi drivers free of charge, and distributing leaflets at the Airport, Hong Kong Disneyland and Lok Ma Chau Control Point to provide useful information on taxi services to taxi drivers, passengers and tourists.

Ferries

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

At year-end, one ferry operator provided two cross-harbour franchised passenger ferry services and 11 ferry operators provided 27 licensed passenger ferry services to the outlying islands and across the harbour. These franchised/licensed services were supplemented by about 76 kaito services, which provided services to relatively remote parts of Hong Kong.

Ferries recorded a daily average of about 93 267 passenger trips within the harbour and about 60 376 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 a variety of areas.