XN000022-1987-01-22 — Page 17

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1987

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ADVICE ON LODGING METER COMPLAINTS

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MOTORISTS REPORTING DEFECTIVE PARKING METERS TO THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT ARE URGED TO GIVE SUFFICIENT DETAILS IN ORDER THAT PROBLEM METERS CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND REPAIRED PROMPTLY.

A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN REMINDED MOTORISTS THAT THEY SHOULD

5-298611 -- MAKE USE OF THE METER COMPLAINTS UNIT'S HOTLINE -- IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER THE DEFECTIVE METERS ARE ON HONG KONG ISLAND, IN KOWLOON OR THE NEW TERRITORIES.

THE HOTLINE IS MANNED BETWEEN 8 AM TO MIDNIGHT FROM MONDAYS TO SATURDAYS, AND BETWEEN 10 AM AND 10 PM ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.

+TO HELP OUR STAFF LOCATE THE PROBLEM METER, A COMPLAINANT SHOULD DESCRIBE THE METER'S EXACT LOCATION BY GIVING THE STREET'S NAME AND THE HOUSE NUMBER, IF ANY. BESIDES, THE METER NUMBER AND THE REGISTRATION NUMBER OF THE COMPLAINANT'S VEHICLE SHOULD ALSO BE GIVEN,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE NUMBER OF EVERY PARKING METER IS INDICATED CLEARLY ON THE METER POLE. IN CASES WHERE TWO PARKING METERS SHARE THE SAME POLE, COMPLAINANTS SHOULD FIND OUT WHETHER THE DEFECTIVE METER IS +A+ OR +B+. THE LETTERS ARE MARKED ON THE BRACKET SUPPORTING THE METERS.

+FURTHER INFORMATION ON WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE METER AND WHEN IT WAS FOUND OUT OF ORDER WOULD ALSO HELP, + HE SAID.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT ON RECEIVING A COMPLAINT, STAFF WILL BE SENT TO INSPECT THE METER AND REPAIRS ARE USUALLY CARRIED OUT WITHIN AN HOUR OR SO.

+THEREFORE, A COMPLAINANT SHOULD NOT LEAVE HIS VEHICLE FOR TOO LONG BUT SHOULD CHECK WHETHER THE METER IS IN ORDER AGAIN LEST HE GETS A PARKING TICKET,+ HE SAID.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH FIXED PENALTY TICKETS DESPITE THEIR REPORTS TO THE METER COMPLAINTS UNIT, THEY SHOULD WRITE TO THE POLICE FOR CANCELLATION OF THE TICKETS.

WRITTEN APPLICATIONS TOGETHER WITH DETAILS OF THE CASE AND COPIES OF THE TICKETS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO SECTION D. CENTRAL TRAFFIC PROSECUTIONS UNIT, TRAFFIC WING, ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE ON THE EIGHTH FLOOR, UNITED CENTRE, 95 QUEENSWAY, HONG KONG. ENQUIRIES CAN BE MADE ON 5-8613664.

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