Auditor Urges Cuts In Parking Time, Hike In Fee

The Director of Audit on Wednesday urged the government to consider increasing parking meter fee and reducing the time allowed at some parking spots to free up more slots.

The report also said while the total number of licensed vehicles increased by more than 40 percent from 2006 to 2018, parking spaces in the city only went up by 11 percent. The likely shortfall of private car parking spaces in the coming years is "a cause for concern", it said.

In the report the director said that in 15 out of 37 districts, the government had failed to meet its target of having 15 percent of metered parking spaces available at any one time.

It said the government should consider increasing fees on meters that charge only HK$2 for half an hour. Meters in core commercial areas, such as Causeway Bay, should allow less than two hours of parking for each transaction, it said.

Other free parking spaces on the street also failed to meet the availability target. In fact, the auditor found that most were occupied -- and some by abandoned vehicles and other objects.

As for government multi-storey carparks, 10 of 11 such facilities were up to 95 percent occupied during peak hours last year.

The director noted the rooftop of Kwai Fong car park remained closed since 2013 when security enhancement work was carried out. It was only after the auditor made enquiry that the Transport Department said it is planning to reopen it.

The government said it "generally agreed" with the auditor's recommendations.