460 driving instructor's licences to be issued

The Transport Department will issue 460 new private driving instructor's licences by the end of this year, but instructors are divided over whether the policy will benefit the sector.

The 460 will comprise 347 for private cars and light goods vehicles, 55 for light buses and buses, and 58 for medium goods vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and articulated vehicles.

The application procedure is expected to start by the middle of the year. The first batch of new licences would be issued in the fourth quarter of this year after screening candidates and completing driving instructor tests.

The department last issued private driving instructor's licences in 2002. There were more than 18,000 applicants, but only 170 licences were issued.

The Commissioner for Transport will consider issuing new licences when the number of valid licences falls behind the 1999 number by 10 per cent.

In the latter half of last year, there were 703 instructor's licences for small vehicles, 75 for buses and 172 for vehicles that carry goods. The figures were 33.3 per cent, 42.3 per cent and 25.2 per cent respectively behind the 1999 benchmark.

Wong Chung-sang, the chairman of the Driving Instructors' Association, warned that this year would be a bad time for the government to issue new licences.