Latest news with #TransportandLogisticsBureau
HKFP
an hour ago
- Automotive
- HKFP
‘Cannot drag our feet': Hong Kong gov't moves to regulate ride-hailing services
The Hong Kong government will submit a legislative proposal on regulating ride-hailing platforms, the city's leader has announced, saying it cannot delay tackling issues stemming from such services. The Transport and Logistics Bureau will submit a paper to the Panel on Transport of the Legislative Council on Tuesday to outline a framework for regulating online car-hailing services in the city, Chief Executive John Lee said at a weekly press briefing on the same day. Without naming any specific operator, the Hong Kong leader said different issues arose after a ride-hailing platform began operating in the city 11 years ago. The problems, which Lee described as 'complex' and 'involving a lot of parties and interests,' included the protection and safety of passengers and the 'coexistence' of ride-hailing services and taxis. 'I agree that this issue is complex, but we must not continue to drag our feet. The government must come up with a solution,' Lee said in Cantonese. According to Lee, the proposed regulatory framework would cover operational standards for ride-hailing platforms, requirements on the vehicles used, drivers' qualifications and insurance requirements to ensure the safety of passengers. The framework would also spell out a 'new environment' for taxis to operate in, he said. 'Online-hailed cars should co-exist with taxis to provide quality point-to-point personalised transport services for the public,' Lee said. When asked about the number of licences the government plans to issue to cars providing e-hailing services, Lee said the authorities have to 'create room' that is 'favourable' for the operation of taxis. He added that the legislative proposal would first tackle issues on which the public had a consensus before resolving other technical matters. Grey area Ride-hailing apps currently operate in a grey area in the city, which requires vehicles offering hailing services to have a hire car permit. Private vehicle owners who sign up with online platforms to provide hailing services without a permit could be punished by up to six months in jail and a HK$10,000 fine for the first offence. Ride-hailing services such as Uber have seen rising popularity amid long-standing dissatisfaction with taxi service standards. In February, a taxi union announced a plan to stage a five-day strike to put pressure on the authorities to commit to a crackdown on ride-hailing services. The plan was called off a week later after the chief executive warned that 'drastic action' would not receive public support. Last month, Uber, which has operated in Hong Kong since 2014, revealed it had more than 30,000 drivers in Hong Kong in the past year. Andrew Byrne, the company's global head of public policy, expressed concerns last month over a potential driver quota under the regulatory framework, which he said could ' make ridesharing less reliable.' A cap on the number of drivers and vehicles allowed on the platform could result in longer wait times and higher prices, while limiting ways for people in Hong Kong to earn an income, he warned.
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Will speeding up the rail line for Northern Metropolis entice Hong Kong developers?
The Hong Kong government's plan to speed up the construction of the rail backbone of the Northern Metropolis near the border with mainland China will make the megaproject more appealing to developers, but whether they will be persuaded to invest is another matter, experts have said. Amid a depressed property market, developers have voiced concerns over their profit margins if they commit to building in the hub, which Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong urged the city to complete as soon as possible. Sources told the Post that a key topic for Xia during his recent visits to Hong Kong was the Northern Metropolis and its potential as the city's next game changer for its economic future. On Tuesday, the Transport and Logistics Bureau announced a first-phase deal with the MTR Corporation that would lower the cost of construction and bring forward the completion of a cross-border spur line by at least two years to 2034. The deal covers the creation of the Northern Link spur line, which will start at Chau Tau station and end at Shenzhen's Huanggang Port station, allowing commuters to cross the border with greater ease. Financing for the Northern Link will be boosted by the government granting the rail giant 10 development sites and deducting HK$39.05 billion (US$4.97 billion) from its land premiums. It also opens the door for the company to work with mainland partners. Professor Lau Siu-kai, a consultant with Beijing's semi-official think tank, the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, said the government was seeking to show its determination to expedite the project while at the same time incentivising private companies to invest in the development. 'Last year, Director Xia began urging Hong Kong to accelerate development, especially by having developers participate. He even led a group to Shenzhen to discuss this. To some extent, I believe the push to speed up railway construction is partly a response to the central government's particular concerns,' Lau said. He said he expected that the acceleration of the development of the Northern Metropolis would be a key theme of the next five-year plan covering national development strategies. 'If this is indeed the case, Hong Kong will need to drastically pick up the pace, cutting back on excessive procedures, fast-tracking the approval process for projects and even reducing unnecessary bureaucratic steps and rules,' Lau said. Formed around the San Tin Technopole and the neighbouring Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Loop, the Northern Metropolis is viewed as critical for Hong Kong's future economic growth, with its potential to create about 650,000 jobs. About 2.5 million people are expected to live in the new area. In January, the Hong Kong Real Property Federation and the China Real Estate Chamber of Commerce urged the government to expedite infrastructure construction to enhance the development potential of sites and reduce uncertainties for investors. 'The early completion of transport infrastructure will benefit the relocation of residents, businesses, and academic institutions, leading to thriving human traffic that will boost overall economic development and increase developers' willingness to invest,' Louis Loong Hon-biu, a lawmaker and also the secretary general of the Real Estate Developers Association, said. Asked if the acceleration of infrastructure development could prod investors into action, Loong said the completion times of the different infrastructure projects would influence their plans. He also expressed hope that the government would communicate effectively with companies to introduce details of mainland standards to be used in the construction of the spur line, so players could prepare accordingly. Construction of the spur line is due to begin in 2027 and end in 2034, the same year the Northern Main Line is scheduled to go into operation. Kathy Lee, head of research at commercial property agency Colliers, said the earlier completion date and the HK$39.05 billion (US$4.97 billion) in financing the government has offered to the MTR Corporation could boost market interest in the Northern Metropolis. But she noted it would still take nine years to complete the rail lines, while facilities would be ready to be occupied in the coming few years. 'The major concern of developers is about the occupancy rate, whether businesses are interested in setting foot in the project and need that much floor space,' Lee said. 'The market still has questions about that.' She suggested the government could help line up developers and innovation and technology companies hoping to set up offices in the city to tackle developers' concerns. But Vera Yuen Wing-han, an economics lecturer at the University of Hong Kong, said the government's new time frame might not incentivise developers to buy plots due to their current financial position. 'Many are grappling with substantial debt, which limits their capacity to bid on new land due to their cash flow,' she said. Last November, 85 business heavyweights pledged to support and participate in Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis megaproject. Yuen added that a critical factor influencing developer sentiment was the Northern Metropolis' proximity to the mainland and the ongoing integration between the two jurisdictions. Some fear investing heavily in the new development could lead to property values being benchmarked against mainland prices, which are generally lower. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
RTHK
6 days ago
- Automotive
- RTHK
$8 Kowloon toll, higher fees and fines for drivers
$8 Kowloon toll, higher fees and fines for drivers Tolls for Aberdeen and Shing Mun tunnels are set to be raised to $8 from $5 from September 21. File photo: RTHK Hourly charges for parking meters will be doubled from HK$8 to HK$16, stating from September 28. File photo: RTHK The government on Wednesday proposed setting a toll of $8 on a new Kowloon tunnel and raising fixed penalties on 20 traffic offences. Last month, officials publicised plans to charge drivers $10 for using the Central Kowloon Bypass. The proposed toll level will effectively divert approximately 20 per cent of the overall traffic from saturated major roads in Kowloon, while reserving about 15 per cent of spare capacity of the Central Kowloon Bypass to accommodate future traffic growth. It will also recover nearly 80 per cent of basic operational costs, the Transport and Logistics Bureau said in a statement. The spokesman said the bypass, connecting Yau Ma Tei and Kowloon Bay, will offer a faster option for motorists when it opens next year. 'If no toll is charged for the use of the Central Kowloon Bypass, it is expected that its utilisation rate will approach a saturation point shortly after its commissioning,' he said. Tolls for Aberdeen and Shing Mun tunnels are proposed to be raised to $8 from $5 from September 21, with the spokesman pointing out that their toll fees had stayed at the same level for 34 years and that they were operating at a loss. The adjustments will have minimal impact on traffic and will allow the tunnels to achieve break-even in operations, the spokeman said. Apart from the proposed rise in the fixed penalty for illegal parking from $320 to $400, charges for 19 other traffic violations will be increased to up to $1,500. On the proposed increases, the spokesman said most charges for traffic violations had not been adjusted for 31 years, saying the deterrent effect has deteriorated over time due to inflation. Hourly charges for parking meters will also be doubled from $8 to $16, starting from September 28. The government is also proposing a gradual five-phase increase in license fees for electric vehicles that will span six years. Following the change, electric vehicles will be charged based on their rated power rather than vehicle weight. Currently, the annual license fee for all electric cars is about $1,100 on average. By March 2030, the fee for cars with fewer than 75 kilowatts would go up to $3,000, while those exceeding 225 kW would be charged $11,000. There will be a four-month grace period for electric vehicles on the road when the adjustments begin in November.
RTHK
7 days ago
- Business
- RTHK
Northern Link main and spur lines to debut together
Northern Link main and spur lines to debut together The government and the MTR Corporation sign an agreement on the Northern Link project. Photo: Information Services Department The government said the Northern Link Spur Line rail project will be completed sooner than expected. Officials said the Northern Link is a key transport infrastructure of Hong Kong's future development, as it would become 'the public transportation backbone' in the Northern Metropolis. In addition to the main line, the cross-boundary spur line will connect the metro networks of the SAR and Shenzhen, as well as the new Huanggang Port. A government spokesman said in a statement that authorities are taking 'a holistic planning and staged implementation strategy', by combining the main and spur lines as one project for planning, to achieve synergies and realise cost savings. "Adopting a result-oriented mindset, we would improve the construction efficiency through adopting railway-related mainland standards, practices and resources, substantially bringing forward the planning of the Northern Link Spur Line. The target is to commission the Northern Link Spur Line together with the Northern Link Main Line by 2034 or earlier, which is about two years earlier than what was originally envisaged," he said. The chief executive in council on Tuesday approved the financial arrangement for part one of the Northern Link, due for completion in 2034. The Transport and Logistics Bureau signed an agreement with the MTR Corporation, and the capital cost of the project is estimated at about HK$31.4 billion. The rail company was also granted 10 plots of land including sites at Kam Sheung Road Station, Fanling North, Kwu Tung North and San Tin, for residential and commercial development under the 'Rail-plus-Property' model. The government said a total of HK$39.05 billion would be deducted from the full market value land premium of the sites assessed on a 'with-railway' basis in future, to support the building of the Northern Link. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on social media that the government will work with the rail firm to lower the cost of the project, while speeding up construction. The government said works "that are more ready and time-critical" will begin immediately. The MTR Corportaion is also required to carry out the detailed planning and design of the spur line, including statutory procedures relating to the environmental impact assessment and railway scheme gazettal, and strive for finish the procedures as early as possible.
The Standard
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Standard
Hong Kong expands self-driving car trials in Tung Chung
Self-driving car tests in Hong Kong (Photo: Transport and Logistics Bureau's Facebook) Download The Standard app to stay informed with news, updates, and significant events - The upgraded app is now available on both iOS and Android platforms.
