Hong Kong taxi drivers threaten road blockades and burning of tyres if premium service franchises introduced
Government proposes three franchises offering 150 to 200 taxis with Wi-fi, phone chargers and extra legroom
Taxi drivers have warned that they may mount protests, including blocking roads and burning tyres, if the government insists on introducing premium taxi services through franchises.
They issued the warning as the government suggested that three premium taxi operating franchises, each allowed to run 150 to 200 taxis, would be up for grabs under a proposal to offer alternative choices for passengers.
While the scheme is music to passengers’ ears as cabbies will be required to instal Wi-fi and cellphone chargers, it has prompted uproar among existing taxi drivers.
With taxi licences now costing about HK$6 million each, some drivers said it would be “unfair” for a franchisee to be allowed to run up to 200 taxis without paying as much.
“I hope the government can understand our concerns and not replace us with premium taxis,” Hong Kong Taxi Owners’ Association chairman Wong Po-keung told a radio programme on Wednesday.
“Many drivers and our members have suggested that we do what happened in Paris, that is block the roads and burn old car tyres. Many say the Hong Kong government bullies kind people but is afraid of the wicked ones,” he said.
Wong said he personally preferred discussing the matter with the government around a negotiating table. But he said he was afraid he could not control what the angry drivers may do.
In a document submitted to the Legislative Council’s transport panel earlier this week, the Transport and Housing Bureau suggested that the three premium taxi franchises should last four to six years.
It also says franchisees should come up with their own means of making their vehicles stand out, including possibly using electric taxis and larger vehicles offering extra legroom. Taxis would also have to be quite new – not older than four to six years.
Other suggestions include allowing Octopus card and credit card payments.
Of 2,000 people polled in a survey commissioned by the bureau, more than 60 per cent said they would consider using premium taxis even though the fares were not known. But if the charge was 30 per cent to 50 per cent higher than for ordinary taxis, only 9 per cent said they would choose premium taxis.
The bureau said it was planning to introduce premium taxis through franchises because there was no mechanism to punish taxi drivers who failed to provide quality services. But through franchising, the government would be able to supervise drivers’ performances through terms and conditions.
The Taxi Council’s Mark Fu Chuen-fu said the government should consider converting some existing taxis into premium taxis and adding terms and conditions to the new operating licences.
New People’s Party lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun, who chairs the transport panel, had reservations as a few hundred more taxis could lead to traffic congestion in certain areas. He suggested that existing taxi licence holders be given priority to exchange their licences to become premium taxi service operators.
Democratic Party lawmaker Wu Chi-wai said he hoped premium taxi services would not be monopolised.
“The [premium taxi licence] should be different from the old taxi licensing system ... The operators should be changed from time to time through tendering,” he said.
Additional reporting by Owen Fung
