The Environment, Transport & Works Bureau has proposed raising the return toll charge payable by taxi passengers for using Eastern and Western harbour crossings from $15 to $25, starting October 1.

The Government published in the Gazette today the Road Traffic (Public Service Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulation 2005, proposing the charge revision.

The occupied taxis toll was raised at the Eastern tunnel on May 1 and it announced on May 20 the empty taxis toll would also be raised starting October 1.

The purpose of raising the charge is to maintain the current taxi-charging arrangement, that is, the return toll charge for taxi passengers using the Eastern tunnel equals its normal toll, while that for Western tunnel is pitched at the same level as the Eastern tunnel's normal toll for taxis, the bureau said.

Increase assures taxi drivers aren't out-of-pocket

The rationale behind this arrangement is to ensure taxi drivers who carry passengers across the harbour via both tunnels can have two alternate routes - Eastern tunnel and the Cross-Harbour Tunnel - to return to their operating base without having to pay out-of-pocket expenses in case they cannot obtain a hire on the return journey, the bureau explained.

The Transport Department consulted the urban taxi trade on the matter at the Urban Taxi Trade Conference on March 21. Three taxi associations submitted the proposal to raise the return toll charge from $15 to $25, which was supported by all other taxi associations at the conference.