Chan Siu-hung, chairman of Legco’s Panel on Transport, made the comments on an RTHK radio programme after the Transport and Logistics Bureau submitted a paper to the Legislative Council last Friday, stating that over 12,000 parking spaces will be added in the next two years, with only 500 designated for commercial vehicle use.
“Aside from the lack of parking spaces, has the government considered or investigated the distribution of parking spaces across the 18 districts? Even if you allocate 500 spaces, if their distribution is uneven, areas that need them most may end up with insufficient space. If you add parking spaces to areas where there is no shortage, it won’t significantly help,” he said.
“The most important thing is for the government to conduct surveys and understand industry needs, and that may indicate a shortfall of around 10,000 spaces. It should determine where additional spaces are most needed and come up with solutions for those areas.”
Chan noted this allocation represents less than 10 percent of the total, suggesting that many commercial drivers may simply view parking fines as a necessary business expense.
“If there aren’t enough, those vehicles will end up parking on the roadside, risking tickets the next day. This also raises questions about police discretion in enforcement. If a vehicle isn’t obstructing other road users in busy areas, will they consider that? The government’s document indicate that police will consider individual circumstances and won’t enforce strictly unless vehicles block traffic or pose a danger,” he said.
“There was a case where a minibus was parked at a minibus stand at night and it did not hinder anyone, yet the next day, a ticket was issued. Is this reasonable? I believe the police and the Transport Department should take these messages into account. The document mentions they will try to exercise discretion, opening up less busy roads for parking and loading or night parking.”
Meanwhile, Siu Tak-hung, the director of the Motor Transport Workers General Union’s truck practitioners branch, said that a minimum of 20,000 parking spaces is necessary to adequately meet demand.
Speaking on the same programme, he emphasised the need for clear markings for commercial vehicle parking to prevent private cars from taking up those spaces, given the limited availability.
“For instance, in Kwun Tong, areas like King Yip Street are heavily congested due to old factory buildings that lack loading zones. These areas have no clear lines indicating that loading should be time-limited, which leads to the misuse of parking metres. If there were designated loading zones with time limits, it would help alleviate the congestion caused by trucks needing to unload,” he said.
