Hong Kong plans to table a bill by year-end to standardise regulation of future mass transit projects, including Kai Tak and East Kowloon, the transport chief has said, as lawmakers raise concerns over fares and long-term service quality.

Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan told lawmakers on Monday that the government was pursuing policy innovation by adopting open tenders for future projects, with the aim of enhancing service quality and identifying the most effective operators for emerging collective transport systems.

“Our existing frameworks for regulating land-based public transport services and operators have been tailored to specific modes of transport or individual operators. Moving forward, we propose establishing a technology-neutral, versatile and standardised regulatory framework,” she said.

“This will ensure compatibility across different systems and operators, allowing us to not only advance in terms of hardware but also, through our policy and regulatory procedures, to swiftly and fully seize the opportunities brought about by technological advancements.”

The proposed framework would establish an oversight regime empowering the Executive Council to grant franchises while allowing the government to penalise operators, revoke licences or seize assets for non-compliance.

In addition to primary legislation governing corporate governance and safety, tailored subsidiary legislation would regulate specific operations and passenger conduct.

Detailed agreements would set out technical standards, construction timelines and mandatory fare adjustment mechanisms, taking into account the consumer price index, wage index and productivity factors, with a capping mechanism in place.