SOME residents have recently complained of the rampant illegal taxi services offered by electric bikes at Metro stations, local media reported Wednesday.

    Electric bikes have been banned on the city’s roads for three years, nevertheless they remain ubiquitious throughout roads both large and small.

    At many Metro stations — Jingtian, Shangmeilin, Chegongmiao and Yitian, among dozens more — electric bikes gather at exits, blocking pedestrian roads to fight for business.

    At the Chegongmiao station of Luobao Line, for example, around 20 electric bike riders normally gather at Exit D. They generally charge 5 yuan (US$0.80) for a short trip or 10 yuan for a longer trip.

    According a security guard nearby, the illegal services started to grow in 2012 after the city started other Metro projects in the area, which have affected Metro commuters. During rush hour, around 30 and 40 drivers gather there.

    Illegal electric bike services are also rampant in Futian Free Trade Zone, which lacks public bus services linking the zone with other areas of the city.

    “Many people live in Shangsha and Xiasha areas and work in Futian Free Trade Zone. But there are limited bus services and they are often overcrowded,” said a resident surnamed Ye. She and her colleagues take electric bikes to and from work every day.

    Other Metro stations like Shangmeilin, Qiaocheng East and Jingtian have similar problems.

    Many electric bike drivers work at factories during the daytime and earn extra money in the evenings. An electric bike driver identified as Wang said he could earn up to 100 yuan each night in Futian Free Trade Zone. Full-time drivers can earn 300 yuan a day, or around 7,000 to 8,000 yuan a month, without paying taxes.

    A law enforcement officer surnamed Zhong in Shatou neighborhood, Futian District, said they often give citations to illegal electric bike services, but that the rampancy can’t be controlled because the punishment is too low to deter drivers.

    An electric bike generally sells for 1,000 yuan and a second-hand bike is much cheaper. If an electric bike driver is caught, he will be fined 500 yuan to get back his bike, or he could just buy another one and resume business.

    “The drivers are very alert and drive away when they see us approaching. They can’t be easily caught and their reckless driving poses a danger to themselves and passengers as well,” Zhong said. (Han Ximin)