Housing Authority to reduce charges on car parks
Updated at 6.30pm: The Housing Authority announced on Thursday it would reduce charges at its car parks from June in a bid to boost occupancy rates.
This was part of measures, endorsed by the authority's commercial properties committee on Thursday, to boost the occupancy rate of its 108 car parks with 27,410 parking spaces.
From June 1, charges will go down by 8.3 per cent to $11 an hour at car parks in urban and suburban areas, and down by 12.5 per cent to $7 an hour at those in the New Territories.
Hourly parking charges between 11pm and 7am will be reduced to $8 in urban and sub-urban areas and $5 in the New Territories.
'Although the current car park charges have been scheduled to remain effective until June 30, members of the committee decided today to advance the implementation of the new charges to ensure that a swift response can be made to market changes,' an authority spokesman explained.
'In line with market trends, a flat rate for day-time parking will be introduced for Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm [excluding public holidays] at $55 for urban and suburban and $40 for the New Territories,' he added.
Private car drivers will enjoy an average of 6 per cent reduction in monthly charges at car parks with occupancy rates below 50 per cent. The reduction ranges from $50 to $100 depending on the car parks' locations.
But monthly charges for private cars at car parks with a 100 per cent occupancy rate will have no reduction. Monthly and hourly charges for motorcycles and light goods vehicles will also remain unchanged.
The spokesman said some underused car parks had been converted into other uses, such as elderly homes or community facilities.
Work to convert some motor cycle parking spaces in public housing estates would also commence soon, he added.
