Illegal Uber drivers should lose cars the minute they are charged, says Hong Kong lawmaker calling for crackdown on ride-hailing service
- Frankie Yick calls for tougher penalties after suggesting government proposals do not go far enough
- Officials earlier floated idea of doubling maximum fine to HK$10,000 for first offence
Drivers caught using their cars to work for illegal ride-hailing apps such as Uber should have their vehicles seized the moment they are charged, the transport sector representative in Hong Kong’s legislature proposed on Monday.
Lawmaker Frankie Yick Chi-ming made his comments after the government suggested increasing penalties for drivers who illegally carried passengers; the latest move in its attempt to curb the practice in the city.
Despite calls for Uber-like services to be legalised, using private cars in Hong Kong to provide taxi services without a hire car permit is against the law.
Speaking on a radio programme on Monday, Yick, a Liberal Party member, called the government’s proposal “better than nothing”, but doubted it would stop drivers from operating illegally.
On Friday, the government proposed doubling the maximum fine for first-time offenders to HK$10,000, with a fine of HK$25,000 (US$3,200) for subsequent convictions.