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Following is a question by the Hon Frankie Yick and a written reply by the Acting Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Yau Shing-mu, in the Legislative Council today (December 3):
Question:
It has been reported that while the number of school private light buses (commonly called "nanny vans") has been increasing in recent years, there is a serious shortage of light bus parking spaces which can be used for parking nanny vans. As a result, many nanny van drivers park their vehicles illegally on the roadside. On the other hand, there are quite a number of vacant parking spaces for goods vehicles in the car parks under The Link Management Limited (The Link) but, owing to the restrictions under the land lease conditions, they may not be rented for use by nanny vans. The Link has to apply to the Lands Department (LandsD) and pay fees should it wish to change the uses of some of the parking spaces for parking other types of vehicles. Moreover, the shortage of parking spaces for nanny vans is further aggravated by The Link's policy of according priority to the light buses of social welfare organisations in renting the light bus parking spaces in its car parks. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the number of additional nanny vans in each of the past three years and the current total number of nanny vans; whether it knows the current number of light bus parking spaces in the car parks under The Link and such number in these car parks before they were taken over by The Link;
(2) of the details of the applications made by The Link to LandsD for waivers of the lease conditions to change the uses of some of its car parking spaces for parking other types of vehicles (including the number and results of the applications made) since its takeover of the relevant car parks, and a breakdown, by new use, of the number of parking spaces which have been approved for changing their uses;
(3) whether the authorities will request The Link to review the demand and supply situation of the parking spaces for various types of vehicles in its car parks, and make a one-off application to LandsD for changing some of its parking spaces to light bus parking spaces, in order to provide more light bus parking spaces which can be used for parking nanny vans; if they will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and
(4) apart from providing more light bus parking spaces in the car parks under The Link, of the authorities' measures to alleviate the shortage of parking spaces for nanny vans?
Reply:
President,
School private light buses (SPLBs) (commonly known as "nanny vans") are categorised as light buses which could be used for the carriage of not more than 16 passengers. According to the Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations (Cap 374A), the maximum dimensions of light buses are 7 metres (length), 2.3 metres (width) and 3 metres (height). Generally speaking, depending on the number of seats, some SPLBs are of similar size as private cars, while some have longer bodies. SPLBs of smaller size may use parking spaces for private cars, while those of longer bodies should park at parking spaces which allow the parking of light buses.
My reply to the various parts of the Hon Frankie Yick's question is as follows:
(1) In the past three years (from 2011 to 2013), the number of additional SPLBs was 111, 221 and 260 respectively. As of October 2014, the total number of SPLBs was 1 894.
According to land lease conditions, there are no parking spaces for light buses in The Link's car parks. In order to let out the parking spaces of goods vehicles for parking light buses, The Link needs to apply for temporary waiver and pay waiver fees to the Lands Department (LandsD). Currently, there are 442 goods vehicle parking spaces in The Link's car parks, which were approved by LandsD and may be used for parking of vehicles used by people with disabilities and welfare organisations, as well as SPLBs of longer bodies.
In respect of The Link's car parks which were formerly under the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA), the parking spaces of the HA's car parks were mainly for motorcycles, private cars and light goods vehicles. There were no parking spaces designated for light buses (including SPLBs).
(2) According to the information provided by LandsD, The Link submitted a total of 122 temporary waiver applications related to car parks, 16 of which were subsequently withdrawn. For the 106 cases which require processing, they mainly involve converting parking spaces for parking other types of vehicles, or permitting residents of nearby housing estates to use those parking spaces. As at the end of September 2014, 101 applications were approved and the remaining applications are being processed. Among the approved applications, 97 involved converting the parking spaces for parking other types of vehicles. Details of these parking spaces are as follows:
(i) 442 parking spaces for goods vehicles have been permitted for parking other types of vehicles (including light buses, buses or special purpose vehicles); and
(ii) 22 parking spaces for private cars/ goods vehicles or some vacant spaces in the car parks have been converted into 110 parking spaces for motorcycles.
(3) As a private organisation, The Link will, having regard to the actual demand for and supply of parking spaces in individual car parks under its management, consider whether it is necessary to apply for the conversion of some of the parking spaces into those which allow the parking of light buses or other types of vehicles. We understand that The Link has noted an increase in the demand for parking spaces for goods vehicles. When applying for conversion of parking spaces for goods vehicles into those for light buses, The Link will thus strike a balance between the demands of different parties and accord priority, as far as possible, to the needs of persons with disabilities, welfare organisations and SPLBs.
When The Link applies to LandsD for conversion of goods vehicle parking spaces to parking for vehicle types not specified in the land leases, LandsD will consult relevant government departments in accordance with the established procedures. The Transport Department (TD) will lend appropriate support to applications for the conversion of parking spaces to parking for light buses.
(4) As mentioned in the preamble above, SPLBs with smaller bodies may use parking spaces for private cars, the supply of which are in general adequate in Hong Kong. For SPLBs with longer bodies, TD will continue to monitor their parking demand, and implement the following measures as and when necessary:
(i) provide on-street parking spaces as long as road safety and other road users are not affected;
(ii) allow temporary car parks to operate at sites with no immediate development plans;
(iii) require developers to include a suitable number of parking spaces for use by SPLBs, where appropriate, in development projects; and
(iv) if the demand for parking spaces for student service vehicles is particularly high in a certain district, the Government will consider designating some parking spaces at existing temporary car parks for the exclusive use of this type of vehicles when renewing the tenancy of these car parks.
Ends/Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Issued at HKT 14:30
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