HONG KONG
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 22 February 1989 香港立法局——————————————一九八九年二月二十二日
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MR. DAVID CHEUNG: Sir, as I said a while ago, I am not convinced that the hefty increases in the fixed penalty fines en bloc are justified for the stated purpose they intend to achieve. This is particularly not justified in the case of parking offences.
The parking situation here in Hong Kong, in my view, has always been unimaginably difficult. The increase in the number of cases of illegal parking cannot be said to reflect that $140 has no deterrent effect. Who, may I ask, in his/her right mind would risk paying a fine of $140 by trying to save a few dollars or ten dollars on parking? Drivers park illegally often because they have to park their cars under very desperate and exceptionally difficult circumstances. For the rich, if $140 has no deterrent effect, neither will $200.
The continued increase in the number of vehicles is bound to result in proportionally more cases of illegal parking. Besides, residential blocks are developed without developers being required to provide parking spaces equivalent to the number of flats. Fortunately or unfortunately, the affluence in Hong Kong has brought about a consequence which, from the traffic management point of view, is paradoxical — car owners living in residential blocks that provide inadequate parking spaces, and car owners finding themselves unable to drive to their destinations where inadequate or no parking facilities are available. There are simply not enough parking spaces. Besides, requiring motorists to feed parking meters in residential area until midnight is already very harsh.
Sir, because I feel that parking offences committed are due, in no small part, to Government's fault in not providing adequate parking facilities to meet the need of the increased motor vehicles it continues to license, I do not support the motion.
SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT: Sir, I thank Mr. CHEUNG for his comments. I would like to make two points.
First, experience indicates that an increase in the fixed penalty fine for parking offences will enhance its deterrent effect. The fine was last increased in 1983 from $70 to $140. In the subsequent three years, the number of parking offence tickets issued showed a steady decrease from over 1 000 000 in 1984 to about 700 000 in 1986. However, over the years, the deterrent effect of the $140 fine has been eroded and an increase in the fine is now necessary to restore its deterrent effect.