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Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (June 27):
Question:
It has been reported that it is a very common practice among taxi drivers to carry, at the same time, a number of passengers who do not know each other and charge them individually (commonly known as "taxi pooling"), and that such taxi drivers have serious speeding problems, recklessly endangering the lives of passengers and other road users. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the respective numbers of taxi drivers prosecuted (together with a breakdown by districts) and convicted, in each of the past 24 months, for engaging in the above-mentioned practice, and the penalty generally imposed on them by the court;
(b) of the number of speeding cases and traffic accidents involving taxis engaged in taxi pooling over the past 24 months; and
(c) whether it will step up enforcement actions to curb such a practice?
Reply:
Madam President,
Regulation 37(e) of the Road Traffic (Public Services Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374D) stipulates that the driver of a taxi shall not permit any person other than the hirer without reasonable excuse to enter the taxi without the consent of the hirer when his taxi is hired. Upon conviction, the offender is liable to a fine of $5,000 and to imprisonment for 6 months.
(a) Since the Police do not have a monthly breakdown of the number of prosecutions against taxi drivers in breach of the above Regulation by districts, we can only report that there were a total of 214 related prosecutions over the past 24 months. All of the prosecutions were successful and fines ranging from $500 to $1,100 were imposed.
(b) The Police do not have the breakdown of the numbers of speeding cases and traffic accidents involving the above practice of operating taxi service. The numbers of prosecutions against taxis involved in speeding and traffic accidents for the past 24 months stand at 52,426 and 6,673 respectively.
(c) Over 400 enforcement operations were conducted by the Police to combat all types of illegal behaviour involving vehicles for the past 24 months. The Police will continue to take appropriate measures and enforcement actions to ensure the lawful operation of public vehicles and safety of passengers.
Ends/Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:50
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