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Press
Releases - 2000
Strong
support in taxi trade for LPG taxis
There
is a very strong support in the taxi trade for liquefied petrol
gas (LPG) taxis, the Acting Director of Environmental Protection,
Mr Mike Stokoe, said today (June 30).
Speaking
at the opening ceremony of a purpose-built LPG, petrol and
diesel filling station in Pokfulam, Mr Stokoe said there were
already about 950 LPG taxis in operation and more taxi owners
would like to switch to LPG vehicles.
He said:
"The new filling station is the first of its kind to join
the four temporary LPG filling stations set up earlier for
the trial of LPG taxis.
"We are
planning for further filling stations to be opened in the
reminder of the year and next year, so that by the year end
there should be capacity to service 8 000 LPG taxis, and for
the whole fleet of almost 18 000 taxis by the end of next
year."
"A key
step in reducing air pollution due to diesel emissions is
to phase out those types of diesel vehicles where there are
readily available alternatives that run on much cleaner fuel.
"For
instance, an LPG vehicle emits virtually no particulates and
about 50 per cent less nitrogen oxides than its diesel equivalent,"
Mr Stokoe noted.
With
the support of the taxi trade, the Government completed a
trial of LPG taxis in November 1998, which confirmed the suitability
of LPG taxis for local operation, and is now moving forward
with a programme to replace diesel taxis by LPG vehicles.
"Earlier
this month, we commenced a trial of clean, alternative-fuel
light buses, some of which run on LPG and others are electric,"
he said.
Motor
vehicles account for about 75 per cent of the respirable suspended
particulates and about 80 per cent of the nitrogen oxides
at the roadside in urban areas.
Diesel
vehicles emit almost all of the respirable suspended particulates,
and about 75 per cent of the nitrogen oxides.
"The
replacement of the diesel taxi fleet with a clean LPG fuelled
fleet is the most significant single action we can take to
clean up the air in Hong Kong.
"The
opening of this filling station in Pokfulam today is a very
important milestone on that journey," he added.
End/Friday,
June 30, 2000
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