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LCQ8: Combat illegal parking in Kowloon City, To Kwa Wan and Hung Hom
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     Following is a question by the Dr Hon Priscilla Leung and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, in the Legislative Council today (November 15):

Question:

​     It has been reported that quite a number of members of the public drive to districts such as Kowloon City, To Kwa Wan and Hung Hom to patronise the restaurants and shops there.  Some drivers stop their vehicles on the carriageways to wait for on-street car parking spaces, whilst some others park illegally indiscriminately, thereby causing frequent traffic congestion in those districts.  Moreover, the parking spaces designated for use by emergency vehicles are from time to time occupied by private cars.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of warnings made and fixed penalty tickets issued in the aforesaid districts to drivers who parked illegally by the Police since they commenced the territory-wide operation to combat illegal parking on July 10 this year;

(2) whether it will deploy more traffic wardens to those districts to step up the law enforcement efforts against illegal parking; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) whether it will consider introducing measures to encourage drivers of private cars to use the public car parks at the shopping centres in those districts so as to alleviate the problem of illegal parking; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

​     My reply to the various parts of the Dr Hon Priscilla Leung's question is as follows:

(1) The Hong Kong Police Force (Police) have stepped up its enforcement operations against illegal parking since July 10, 2017.  As part of the sustained efforts to combat illegal parking in all districts, the Police issue fixed penalty tickets without prior warning to vehicles causing serious obstruction to traffic flow and danger to other road users.  Where necessary, illegally parked vehicles will be towed away.  From the above date to the end of September, the Police issued more than 25 000 fixed penalty tickets in Kowloon City Police District (Note) against illegal parking.  The Police do not have breakdown on the number of towed vehicles by district.

(2) Apart from traffic wardens, frontline Police officers also take enforcement actions relating to illegal parking offences.  The Police have been strengthening its monitoring of the illegal parking situation in Kowloon City, To Kwa Wan and Hung Hom, and will review its manpower resources from time to time.  Stringent enforcement actions will be taken against vehicles causing serious obstruction to traffic flow and posing danger.

(3) At present, the comprehensive public transport system covers most of the busy districts in Hong Kong.  Motorists should consider the availability of parking spaces at their destinations or nearby areas before heading to these districts.  When going to destinations with relatively tight supply of parking spaces, motorists should consider taking public transport or parking at districts near their destinations and then switch to other modes of public transport.

     Furthermore, the Transport Department (TD) has been disseminating real-time parking vacancy information of over 60 car parks through its "Hong Kong eRouting" mobile application since mid-2016.  The information, provided by operators of car parks (including the car parks of TD, housing estates, Mass Transit Railway Corporation Limited, airport, Ocean Park and commercial buildings, etc.), will facilitate motorists to find parking spaces so as to reduce the traffic congestion caused by their need to circulate on roads looking for available parking spaces.

     The TD will continue to encourage more car park operators to provide parking vacancy information to facilitate motorists to find parking spaces through "Hong Kong eRouting".

Note: Kowloon City, To Kwa Wan and Hung Hom fall into the Kowloon City Police District.
 
Ends/Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Issued at HKT 14:45
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