Transport chief Lam Sai-hung said on Wednesday that authorities are considering whether to bring in a rail transit system from a mainland company to ease traffic congestion in Kowloon East.

Lawmakers had repeatedly called on the government to bring in BYD’s SkyShuttle system after visiting the firm’s headquarters in Shenzhen, saying the technology is perfect for Hong Kong as it is affordable and can fit into the city’s narrow roads.

Speaking to reporters after attending a closed-door antechamber meeting with lawmakers, the transport chief said officials will collect more information about the elevated, driverless railway system before making a decision.

“We'll contact SkyShuttle to collect all relevant information and statistics, such as the technical information, all the operation details, and the safety records so that we can further analyse the applicability of SkyShuttle in Hong Kong," he said.

“We’ll keep an open mind as to the different modes of transport and different technology. So it will be assessed against the specific and unique situation in Hong Kong,” Financial Secretary Paul Chan added.