60pc of taxi drivers' income dropped after fare cut: survey

Updated at 5.54pm:

A survey released on Tuesday showed that more than 60 per cent of New Territories (NT) taxi drivers said their income had dropped 10 to 20 per cent after the cut in taxi fares introduced on June 8.

Justice Union, a lobby group founded by district councillor Angel Leung, interviewed 229 NT Taxi drivers last week. Sixty two per cent said their income has dropped 10 to 20 per cent.

The researchers also interviewed 800 NT residents. About 83 per cent of interviewees said they would not use taxis more often after the fare cut.

Meanwhile, Ming Pao Daily reported on Tuesday that among 232 NT taxi drivers interviewed by the paper, about 92 per cent said their incomes had dropped since the fare cut and about 87 per cent said they did not see an increase in passengers after new fares were introduced. The paper also reported the average daily income of the interviewees was $475.

An Environmental, Transport and Works Bureau spokeswoman said the Government will reveal findings from its own study on the affects of fare cuts.