XN000022-1994-01-13 — Page 9

THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 1994

MR W S LAU (THROUGH INTERPRETER): MR GOVERNOR, AT PRESENT THERE IS GREAT SHORTAGE OF PARKING SPACES AND THIS IS NOT IN PROPORTION TO THE NUMBER OF PRIVATE CARS THAT WE HAVE, EITHER IN PRIVATE HOUSING ESTATES OR IN PRIVATE CAR PARKS. WE SEE A BIG JUMP IN THE PARKING FEES THEY ARE CHARGING AND THIS HAS BECOME A BIG FINANCIAL BURDEN FOR OUR PRIVATE CAR OWNERS. I WONDER WHETHER THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE SQUARELY AND WHAT MEASURES WILL BE ADOPTED TO SUPPRESS THESE CHARGES INCREASING?

GOVERNOR: OUR EXISTING PLANNING GUIDELINES, LIKE THOSE IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, DO OF COURSE TAKE ACCOUNT OF PARKING DEMAND WHEN WE ARE LOOKING AT APPROVAL FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS, WHETHER COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS OR HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, PERHAPS TO GIVE THOSE GUIDELINES MORE SENSIBLE AND UP TO DATE PARAMETERS WITHIN WHICH TO OPERATE, WE ARE UNDERTAKING A REVIEW OF PARKING DEMAND AND AS SOON AS THAT IS AVAILABLE, THOUGH I THINK IT WILL BE ABOUT A YEAR BEFORE IT IS, WE WILL SHARE THE RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY ON PARKING DEMAND WITH THIS COUNCIL, WITH DISTRICT BOARDS AND WITH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT THAT SURVEY OF PARKING DEMAND MAY WELL AFFECT OUR VIEW ON PARKING GUIDELINES AND AFFECT OUR VIEW ON THE REQUIREMENT PROVIDE MORE AND BETTER FOR CAR OWNERSHIP, THOUGH I THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN USING UP OUR SCARCE LAND FOR CAR-PARKING SPACES OR FOR PROVIDING MORE FLATS FOR THOSE WITHOUT THEM, THEY MAY WELL COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE LATTER IS THE PRIORITY.

I WOULD BE VERY RELUCTANT TO GO. FURTHER THAN THAT, AND VERY RELUCTANT TO INTERVENE IN MARKET OPERATIONS. I DON'T THINK THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE ITSELF THE JOB OF SETTING OR DETERMINING THE PRICES FOR CAR-PARKING SPACES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I THINK AS SLIPPERY-SLOPES GO, THAT ONE IS QUITE SLIPPERY AND PRETTY STEEP. BUT NEVERTHELESS, I KNOW, NOT LEAST FROM LETTERS PRESENTED TO ME AS I ENTERED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, THE AMOUNT OF CONCERN THERE IS ABOUT THIS ISSUE ON A NUMBER OF ESTATES AND I AM SURE THAT WHERE THERE IS CONCERN THAT MARKET FORCES ARE BEING STRETCHED BEYOND NORMAL BOUNDS OF ELASTICITY, HONOURABLE MEMBERS WILL MAKE IT CLEAR TO PRIVATE DEVELOPERS THAT THAT IS THE VIEW OF LOCAL RESIDENTS.

MR ROGER LUK (THROUGH INTERPRETER): GOVERNOR, AT THE EARLIER MOMENTS WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE NEW TOWNS THERE WERE VERY FEW OUTSIDE TRANSPORT LINKS FOR THE RESIDENTS. WHAT MEASURES WILL THE ADMINISTRATION ADOPT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN FUTURE WHEN WE HAVE NEW TOWNS BUILT ON LANTAU THERE WILL NOT BE THE SAME PROBLEM REPEATED?

GOVERNOR: I THINK THAT THE PROBLEM ON LANTAU SHOULD BE LESS THAN THAT WHICH IS FACED BY THOSE LIVING IN NEW TOWNS, IN THE NORTH-WEST NEW TERRITORIES IN PARTICULAR, BECAUSE THE RAILWAY WHICH SERVES THE NEW AIRPORT WILL BE GOING IN AT THE SAME TIME OR EVEN BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW LIVING ACCOMMODATION AND I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT WOULD WITH ASSOCIATED BUS FEEDER SERVICES

THAT I WOULD HOPE THAT WOULD DEAL WITH THE MAJOR TRANSPORT PROBLEMS WHICH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH NEW DEVELOPMENTS.

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