ENG-2009 — Page 312

244 Transport

Public Light Buses

Hong Kong's public light buses (PLBs) are licensed to carry a maximum of 16 passengers. At year-end, there were 4 350 PLBs.

There are two types of PLBs green and red. Green minibuses provide scheduled services with fixed routes, fares, vehicle allocation and timetables as stipulated by the Transport Department. During the year, there were 2 977 green minibuses operating 353 routes, which recorded a daily average of 1 461 600 passenger trips. Red minibuses are not required to operate on fixed routes or timetables. They may set their own fares but are subject to certain restrictions on their operating areas. There were

areas. There were 1 373 red minibuses in operation and they recorded a daily average of 390 100 passenger trips during the year.

To strengthen communication among passengers, the trade and the Government, the Transport Department publishes a PLB Newsletter regularly. As regards road safety, seven workshops were held for the operators and PLB drivers in 2009 to remind trade members and drivers about the importance of driving safety. 'Project Safe-ride', a joint road safety project run by the trade, the Police and the department, was launched in mid-March 2008 in the Kowloon East Police District. It was extended to the whole territory in November 2008. Passengers can call the Police 24-hour hotline to complain about speeding and improper driving behaviour of PLB drivers.

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, carrying about 960 000 passengers per day.

To improve the operating environment for taxis, the Transport Department has extended a temporary arrangement, which was first introduced in May 2003, to January 31, 2011. This allows taxis to pick up and set down passengers during peak hours and 7 am-to-7 pm restricted zones on roads with speed limits of less than 70 kilometres per hour. At year-end, there were over 250 designated taxi pick-up/drop- off points and 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. These included updating the information on the light emitting diode display panels and providing additional taxi information plates at appropriate taxi stands. It also published and distributed 40 000 free copies of every issue of Taxi Newsletters to taxi drivers, and distributed leaflets at the Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong Disneyland and Lok Ma Chau Control Point to provide useful information on taxi services to taxi drivers, passengers and tourists.

In addition, the department has stepped up its promotional and educational efforts to encourage the charging and paying of taxi fares according to meters.