Hong Kong lawmakers hit out at hefty fare increases proposed by taxi trade

Commissioner for Transport Angela Lee says authorities will strike a balance between the financial sustainability of trade and public’s acceptance of fare increases

Lawmaker notes the one of the reasons for previous application to raise fares was to improve service quality – which has not happened

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A HK$5 increase for the flag-fall rate for red cabs in urban areas has alse been proposed. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 9:16pm, 12 Apr 2024

Hong Kong lawmakers have expressed concerns about a proposed taxi fare rise, questioning the size of the increase and whether service will improve, while the government has promised to balance the interests of the industry and the public.

Commissioner for Transport Angela Lee Chung-yan on Friday told legislators that authorities would strike a balance between the financial sustainability of the taxi sector and the public’s acceptance of an increase when considering the proposal.

The industry has proposed fare rises of up to almost 17 per cent, including a higher flag-fall rate for red cabs in urban areas from HK$27 (US$3.45) to HK$32, on the grounds of heavier operating expenses and lacklustre business.

“Frankly speaking, since the fare increase in July 2022, our taxi drivers already have a certain amount of growth in terms of their income,” lawmaker Kitson Yang Wing-kit told a meeting of the Legislative Council’s transport panel.

“Looking at a lot of our low-income residents, their income might even have decreased compared with 2019.

Commissioner for Transport Angela Lee. Photo: Jelly Tse

Yang noted that one of the reasons for the previous application to raise fares was to improve service quality.