Transport Commissioner Angela Lee on Thursday said she believes the switch to an electronic ticketing system for non-local drivers seeking an SAR driving permit starting next Monday will make it more convenient for applicants.

The online system will operate from 7am that day to offer 300 e-tickets each working day.

The replacement of in-person collection of tickets came following allegations that agents have been abusing the current queuing system, causing long queues to form outside the Transport Department's Admiralty office.

On-site ticket distribution has ceased for the remaining days of the week after the announcement was made a day ago, and Lee noted on an RTHK radio programme that queues were no longer seen on Thursday morning.

She explained how the Transport Department came up with the decision to increase the daily cap of 140 tickets to 300.

"We have looked at the demand as well as the daily application figures. Apart from the existing online appointment system which applicants will head to the office at scheduled times, there are also people who would come in-person for the application or do so through agents," she said.

"Agents have a different number of applications. On average, they have two applications each. So based on this, we have doubled the number of tickets to 300. We will monitor the demand and the situation after the implementation of the new arrangement to see if we need to adjust the quota."

Lee went on to say that those who have successfully obtained a ticket will receive an SMS message, and they only have to show up at the office at a designated time.

She added the system, supported by the Digital Policy Office, has a virtual queuing system that can identify whether an application is filed by a real person or using automated tools.

Honorary life president of the Hong Kong, China Automobile Association Ringo Lee welcomed the arrangement, saying it can ensure fairness.

He suggested that the department set up morning and afternoon ticket categories in the system, as non-local drivers, including those from the mainland, might not be able to rush to the SAR if they are given a time slot in the morning.