TAC discusses taxi fare increase and road safety measures
The Transport
Advisory Committee (TAC) discussed today (December 20) applications from urban
and New Territories (NT) taxi trades for increasing the flagfall fare by
$1.
Ends/Thursday, December 20,
2007
In deliberating the applications, TAC Chairman Ms Teresa
Cheng Yeuk-wah said the TAC had assessed factors including the changes in the
trades' revenues and operating costs, such as rental and fuel, since the last
fare increase of NT taxi in 1997 and urban taxi in 1998, as well as the impact
of the proposed fare increase on passengers and public acceptability.
"The TAC appreciates that taxi drivers have been
operating in difficult conditions over the past ten years and considers that
they have a case to put up the applications. Similar to other fare increase
applications, the TAC will submit its recommendation to the Government for
consideration by the Chief Executive in Council," she said.
"We note that the Government has indicated that subject
to the Executive Council's approval of the applications, the new fares will be
submitted to the Legislative Council for negative vetting in accordance with
the established procedures."
Members were also briefed on the legislative proposals for
implementing a package of measures to enhance road safety.
"We welcome the proposals to allow the Police to
conduct roadside screening breath tests at random, and impose new penalties on
drink driving offenders by disqualifying them from driving on first conviction
and requiring them to attend driving improvement courses. The new
measures will send a clear and strong message to motorists that drink driving
is not to be tolerated," said Ms Cheng.
TAC members welcomed the proposal to require repeat traffic
offenders accumulating ten driving-offence points and offenders of serious
traffic offences to attend mandatory driving improvement courses. They
considered that these courses could help instill in drivers the importance of
good driving practices and behaviour.
TAC also supported the proposals to raise the maximum
imprisonment term of the offence of causing death by dangerous driving from 5
years to 10 years and to extend the probationary driving licence scheme to
novice private car and light goods vehicle drivers.