Motorists Can Soon Extend Parking Online

Drivers will soon be able to pay their parking meters remotely.

The Transport Department said on Monday that in order to do so, drivers will have to install a smartphone app it developed and use the phone to scan a QR code to link it with the meter for payment.

Through the app, drivers can extend their parking session online once.

But if they need to park longer, they will have to return to where the vehicle is parked to offer payment.

The system's operator, HKT, said to prevent abuse, users will need to sign up using a phone number, and each number can only link up with one meter at a time.

The service is part of a government plan to install new on-street parking meters, replacing existing ones.

Officials also said the new meters have sensors to detect whether a parking space is occupied, providing real-time information to motorists.

But they brushed aside privacy concerns, saying they would not take photos of licence plates or store other personal information.

An assistant transport commissioner, Patrick Wong, did say officials are considering passing on data to the police in the event of illegal parking.

"With the new meters, we have additional functions to record the usage and whether it's paid or not. That sort of information, we would share with police to see whether such information could facilitate the enforcement actions," he told a press conference.

The new meters will support more payment options, such as credit cards and instant payment systems, in addition to the Octopus card.

The department installed nearly 50 metres in Central, Tuen Mun and Clearwater Bay for trial last year, and they will be in use from Wednesday.

The government plans to replace all 12,000 meters across the city in phases, with a target completion date of the first half of next year.