One more batch of taxi pick up/drop-off points and Taxi drop-off points designated

One more batch of 12 taxi pick-up/drop-off points and 4 taxi drop-off points has been designated in the territory to further enhance taxi's role in providing quality point-to-point taxi service for its passengers on busy clearways.

Of the pick-up /drop-off points, 3 are on Hong Kong Island, 7 are in Kowloon and 2 in the New Territories. The 4 taxi drop-off points are 1 on Hong Kong Island and 3 in the New Territories.

Unveiling one of the newly designated taxi pick up/drop-off points at Nathan Road today (February 8), Assistant Commissioner for Transport (Management and Paratransit), Mr. Peter Y.K. LUK, said: " With effect from today, taxi drivers are allowed to pick up passengers at these new taxi pick-up/drop-off points immediately after setting down passengers at clearway restrictions.

He said: " They can also pick up passengers when their taxis are empty and on hire.

"To minimise the impact on traffic, taxis are required to leave at once after dropping off passengers if there are no intending passengers.

"To avoid committing an offence, taxi drivers are also reminded not to stop the taxis and wait for passengers at the taxi pick-up/drop-off points.

"Similar to taxi pick-up/drop-off points, taxi drivers will be allowed to set down passengers at taxi drop-off points at clearway restrictions only."

Mr Luk realized that the business of taxi industry had declined in particular, after the 'September 11' event. With the provision of more taxi pick-up/drop-off points and taxi drop-off points at convenient locations, the arrangements, he believed, would help make taxi service more attractive to passengers, thus boosting the taxi business.

Mr Luk also said," We urge taxi drivers to continue to exercise self-discipline in using the taxi pick up and drop-off points and not to make use of them as taxi stops."

Transport Department designated 14 taxi pick-up/drop-off points and 28 taxi drop-off points and uplifted some 700 clearway restrictions for taxis and other vehicles in the past two years.

The Working Group on Relaxation of Restricted Zone for Taxis under the chairmanship of Commissioner for Transport was established in late 1998 aims to facilitate Transport Department to discuss and examine with the representatives of the taxi trade their proposals for relaxation of restricted zones and designation of drop-off points for taxis. The Working Group comprises 8 representatives of the taxi trade, representative from the Police and TD officials. Legislative Councilor, Hon. Miriam Lau also sits in the Working Group meeting.

The present Working Group representatives of the taxi trade are:

1. Mr Lee Wing-sang (Motor Transport Worker General Union)

2. Mr Leung Siu-cheong (The Taxi Operators' Association )

3. Mr Yum Tai-ping (The Kowloon Taxi Owners Association)

4. Mr Man Hon-ming (Hong Kong, Kowloon Taxi & Lorry Owners Association)

5. Mr Au Yeung Kan (United Friendship Taxi Onwers & Drivers Association)

6. Mr Lam Kwai-keung (The Association of N.T. Radio Taxicabs)

7. Mr Alex Cheung (N.T. Taxi Merchants Associations)

8. Mr Tang Kwong-tong (NT Taxi Drivers Association)

End/Friday, February 8, 2002