Hong Kong lawmakers accuse transport officials of being soft on taxi industry but tough on ride-hailing firms like Uber
- Taxi industry asks for fare increases ranging from just over 20 per cent to 25 per cent
- Government proposes doubling penalties for illegal drivers of ride-hailing companies
Hong Kong lawmakers have blasted transport officials for what they describe as protecting the taxi industry at the expense of popular ride-hailing services such as Uber.
At the Legislative Council’s transport panel meeting on Friday, lawmakers hotly debated the taxi industry’s proposed fare increases, which range from just over 20 per cent to 25 per cent, as well as the government’s plan to double penalties for drivers of ride-hailing companies who operate without a permit.
Pro-democracy lawmakers voiced strong opposition to both proposals, while members of the pro-business Liberal Party fully supported them both. The pro-establishment Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) did not express a position on the fare hikes.
“The proposed taxi fare hikes are tantamount to robbery and the government just caves in to their demands,” said Charles Mok, a lawmaker representing the information technology sector.
“Many people have suffered bad taxi service and the rude attitude of cabbies. Now the government is helping the taxi industry with the fare increases while cracking down on the popular ride-hailing services with heavier penalties,” Mok said.