Uber says Hong Kong ride-hailing cap ‘unusual’, insists it’s here to stay
Global head of public policy Andrew Byrne says Uber supports government plan to introduce regulations but existing demand should be considered
Uber has described Hong Kong’s plan to cap the number of ride-hailing vehicle licences as “unusual”, as the city enters the final stage of shaping its regulatory regime for the service.
Andrew Byrne, the company’s US-based global head of public policy, was in Hong Kong on Thursday, and urged authorities to consider existing demand when setting any cap.
The proposed ceiling has sparked controversy. Some lawmakers suggest the government may issue between 10,000 and 15,000 licences, while taxi groups argue even a few thousand would be excessive and threaten their livelihoods.
Byrne stopped short of revealing how many vehicles Uber would need on the roads to be financially viable in the city.
“When we compare these proposed regulations to regulations around the world, I would say they are very unusual … It is not something we see on the mainland, it’s not something we see in Australia or London or most of the other large global cities around the world,” he said.
“Typically, they let the market decide about how many drivers are required and let platforms effectively match supply and demand and provide the best possible service that they’re able to do so.”