Hong Kong committed to having taxis, ride-hailing services coexist: Mable Chan

Hong Kong is committed to resolving a long-standing conflict between taxis and ride-hailing services, the city’s transport minister has said, pledging that the government will seek a solution for cabs and their platform counterparts to coexist under fair competition.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan also said on Friday that she would insert a reservation of rights clause in the ride-hailing regulatory regime to prevent excessive fares and cutthroat competition.

But the transport chief did not address areas such as vehicle quotas, drivers’ working hours and a levy amount for platforms, leaving them open for further consultation.

Addressing lawmakers for the first time after unveiling the regulatory framework for ride-hailing services last week, Chan said rolling it out was the most important part, with details to be worked out later through subsidiary legislation or licensing terms.

“This time the government is determined to break new ground, taking the first step to resolve this conflict that has lasted for over 11 years,” Chan told the Legislative Council’s transport panel.

“We will place the public interest as our first priority … we also take into account drivers’ livelihoods by pushing for a healthy and stable development of our point-to-point transport services to give a refreshing look to the industry