ENG-2005 — Page 314

268 Transport

wall display has been enlarged to allow display of video images originated from new systems including the traffic control system for the Tai Po and North districts and from the TCS system for the HK-SWC and Deep Bay Link.

The Area Traffic Control (ATC) system for the Tai Po and North districts was completed in 2005, bringing 130 signalised junctions under computer control. Tenders for new ATC and CCTV systems for the Tuen Mun and Yuen Long districts were in progress at the end of 2005. Contracts will be awarded in early 2006 for completion by 2008. The elderly Hong Kong ATC and CCTV systems are being replaced with new systems with latest technologies. The replacement project is scheduled for completion in mid-2006. The department is also planning to replace the ATC and CCTV systems for the Kowloon, Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin areas in 2010.

At year-end, 1 724 signalised junctions were in operation, of which 1 318 were controlled by ATC systems.

Automatic Toll Collection

Automatic toil collection (autotoll) systems were first installed at the Cross- Harbour Tunnel and Aberdeen Tunnel in August 1993, and then eventually to all the tunnels and Lantau Link. The systems allow motorists to pay tolls by driving through designated toll booths without stopping. Since October 1998, these autotoll systems have been unified so that a subscriber needs only one tag to use all tunnels and toll roads fitted with the system. About 49 per cent of motorists use autotoll when passing through the tunnels and toll roads.

Parking

On-street parking is provided where there is parking demand and traffic conditions permit. At year-end, Hong Kong had about 17 800 metered parking spaces, with electronic parking meter charging in operation mainly between 8 am and midnight from Mondays to Saturdays, and 10 am to 10 pm on Sundays and public holidays. The management and operation of on-street metered parking spaces is contracted out to a private operator.

The Government owns 13 multi-storey car parks and the Sheung Shui Park-and- Ride Public Car Park which together provide about 7 500 parking spaces. They are operated and managed by two private operators under management contracts with the Government.

In addition to government car parks, off-street public parking is provided by the Airport Authority at the airport at Chek Lap Kok, the Housing Department and The Link REIT in some public housing estates, and the private sector in multi-storey commercial/residential buildings and open-air public car parks. Park-and-ride facilities are operated by MTRCL at Hong Kong, Kowloon and Tsing Yi Stations on the Airport Express Line, and at some commercial car parks located near Olympic Station on the Tung Chung Line and Hang Hau Station on the Tseung Kwan O Line. The KCRC provides park-and-ride facilities at West Rail Kam Sheung Road Station. In all, there are 186 000 off-street public parking spaces (excluding those in government car parks).