The taxi trade on Wednesday expressed support for the government’s push to license ride-hailing services but emphasised that cabs should remain the primary service provider for point-to-point transport.

The support comes after the government unveiled a regulatory framework to formalise ride-hailing services last week, adding that such services would be supplementary to traditional taxis.

Peter Yung, a spokesman for the Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association, said the industry welcomed fair and open competition.

In insisting that taxis should continue to play a main role in point-to-point services, he suggested that e-hailing can supplement traditional taxis during peak hours, bad weather and in remote areas.

“I suggest these because these are the examples when normally it is hard to get a taxi for a ride," he said.

"But it's just an example. It's what we could think of. There are other circumstances, other situations that might need extra e-hailing services, we don't know yet. But it just all depends on how the government does research on them.”

The administration has also proposed a cap on the number of ride-hailing vehicles, although the exact limit has not been disclosed.

The trade also agrees with the idea of limiting ride-hailing fleets, with Yung saying the specific number requires further research.

“We don't actually have a number for the licences to be published because it depends on how the government does research on the number of people who would travel by taxis or e-hailing," he said.

"So we can't say a number from our perspective. It needs data.”

Under the proposal, ride-hailing platforms and vehicles must obtain a renewable licence with a validity of five years.

Yung said that since taxi licences are acquired through public tender, a similar process should be adopted for ride-hailing licences, to ensure fairness.

“If the [ride-hailing] licence can be obtained at no cost, we think it’s dangerous,” he said.

Officials have also proposed the imposition of levies on ride-hailing platforms, while shoring up support for the taxi trade.

Yung said the trade supports the idea of using a levy to push the industry in a "healthy and good" direction.

The taxi trade also hopes to be more involved in the legislative framework process for ride-hailing services, he added.