Taxi drivers give police a week to take down rivals
Representatives of the taxi trade have warned that drivers will stage an "intense" demonstration – on top of a strike planned on Wednesday – unless police launch large-scale enforcement action against unlicensed ride-hailing services "within a week". After talks with officials on Tuesday, the representatives said more than 500 taxi drivers are expected to join a strike on Wednesday to protest against what they say is a lack of action by the authorities to stamp out rival services. Drivers are expected to gather at a parking lot by the Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree in Tai Po between 11am and 2pm. Wong Yue-ting, chairman of the Hong Kong Tele-call Taxi Association, said industry leaders are unhappy that the government only told them at the meeting that it will study regulating ride-hailing services.  Wong also said the taxi trade is willing to "work with the government and police" to take action against ride-hailing firms. "If police officers and government officials do not carry out large-scale law enforcement action within a week, we will launch a strike that is more intense and with more vehicles, compared to this [strike]," Wong said.  Chow Kwok-keung, who chairs the Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association, said the industrial action is not intended to threaten the government.  "I hope the government would look at our demands...or give us a timetable and communicate with us from time to time. Honestly, us who do business do not wish to go on a strike," Chow said.  "We are choosing [to take industrial action] during non-rush hours, renting parking lots, and holding it in the New Territories. We hope the government will know the industry's tolerance has reached a critical point after nine years."  The Transport and Logistics Bureau said it hoped to address the issue with the taxi industry in a rational and pragmatic way, and urged the industry to put the public interest first.