WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1989
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TO
MR CHEUNG ALSO SPOKE AGAINST ANOTHER MOTION, WHICH CONCERNED THE INCREASE IN FIXED PENALTY FINES FOR ILLEGAL PARKING FROM $140 $200.
HE SAID THE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF CASES OF ILLEGAL PARKING COULD NOT BE SAID TO SHOW THAT THE $140 FINE HAD NO DETERRENT EFFECT.
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"WHO MAY I ASK, IN HIS OR HER RIGHT MIND WOULD RISK PAYING A FINE OF $140 BY TRYING TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS OR TEN DOLLARS ON PARKING?" HE QUESTIONED.
DRIVERS PARKED ILLEGALLY OFTEN BECAUSE THEY HAD TO PARK THEIR CARS UNDER VERY DESPERATE AND EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES. THERE WERE SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH PARKING SPACES, HE SAID.
"BECAUSE I FEEL THAT PARKING OFFENCES ARE COMMITTED 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, HE SAID.
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PARKING FINE INCREASED TO $200
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPROVED A MOTION TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE FIXED PENALTY FINE FOR PARKING OFFENCES BE INCREASED FROM $140 TO $200 TO RESTORE ITS DETERRENT EFFECT.
THE NEW PENALTY WILL TAKE EFFECT FROM JULY 1.
MOVING THE MOTION, THE SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT, THE HON MICHAEL LEUNG, SAID THE EXISTING FINE OF $140 HAD REMAINED UNCHANGED SINCE 1983.
A
THE NUMBER OF TICKETS ISSUED IN 1987 SHOWED THE BEGINNING OF RISING TREND, FROM ABOUT 734,000 IN 1987 TO 836,000 IN 1988, AN INCREASE OF OVER 13 PER CENT, MR LEUNG SAID.
EFFECT OF THE FINE INCREASED PARKING CHARGES AT
THE APPARENT REDUCTION IN THE DETERRENT COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO INFLATION
AND
OFF STREET CARPARKS.
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THE NARROWING GAP BETWEEN PARKING CHARGES AND FIXED PENALTIES MIGHT ATTRACT MOTORISTS TO PARK ILLEGALLY, HE ADDED.
THE MOTION WAS MOVED UNDER THE FIXED
CONTRAVENTIONS) ORDINANCE.
PENALTY
(TRAFFIC
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