TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 19, 1989
TESTING OF ELECTRONIC PARKING METERS IN KOWLOON
THE FIELD TEST OF ELECTRONIC PARKING METERS TO KOWLOON FROM THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 21).
WILL BE EXTENDED
A TOTAL OF 25 OFF-STREET ELECTRONIC PARKING METERS INSTALLED IN A SECTION OF TEMPLE STREET. BETWEEN JORDAN ROAD AND AUSTIN ROAD. IN YAU MA TEI WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC USE WITH EFFECT FROM 10 AM ON THURSDAY.
YAU MA TEI DISTRICT HAD BEEN CHOSEN BECAUSE IT WAS A BUSY COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL AREA WHERE THERE WAS A HIGH DEMAND FOR PARKING METERS. A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.
HENCE IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO ASSESS THE RELIABILITY AND PUBLIC ACCEPTENCE OF THE NEW PARKING METERS. HE ADDED.
THE FIELD TEST WILL LAST FOR NINE TO 12 MONTHS AND WILL BE CLOSELY MONITORED. AND REVIEWED BY THE DEPARTMENT REGULARLY.
IN ELECTRONIC PARKING METERS WERE INTRODUCED FOR FIELD TESTING WAN CHAI ON HONG KONG ISLAND IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR. THE FIELD TEST WILL BE EXTENDED TO THE NEW TERRITORIES LATER THIS YEAR.
AT PRESENT. THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT OPERATES ABOUT 15,000 MECHANICAL PARKING METERS WHICH HAVE BEEN GENERALLY RELIABLE.
ELECTRONIC PARKING METERS ARE DESCRIBED AS MORE RELIABLE AND CAN PROVIDE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION THROUGH ELECTRONIC DATA RETRIEVAL. THEY ARE POWERED BY BATTERIES WHICH WILL LAST FOR A YEAR AND WILL BE FITTED INTO THE EXISTING CASTINGS.
THE ELECTRONIC PARKING METERS ARE SIMILAR TO THE MECHANICAL METERS IN APPEARANCE. BUT THE HANDLE OPERATES DIFFERENTLY. THE ELECTRONIC PARKING METERS ARE ACTIVATED BY PUSHING THE HANDLE INSTEAD OF TURNING THE HANDLE IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. THE AMOUNT OF PARKING TIME IS DISPLAYED BY A DIGITAL READOUT.
THE PARKING CHARGES AND OPERATING HOURS OF THE ELECTRONIC
8 AM PARKING METERS WILL REMAIN THE SAME. $2 PER 30 MINUTES FROM MIDNIGHT EVERY DAY EXCEPT SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.
TO
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