Drivers say poor Link car park services fail to justify price hikes
Nearly two-thirds of car owners in a survey say that the service provided by The Link's car parks fails to match up to their parking fees.
The Link acquired the car parks when they were privatised by the Housing Authority in 2005.
The survey, by the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, canvassed 401 drivers using The Link's car parks in Hong Kong South, Kowloon City, Sham Shui Po, North District, Tseung Kwan O, Tung Chung and the New Territories. Facilities, security and hygiene problems were the three top concerns. The owners were bothered by dim lights, uneven ground and leaks. Three in 10 were unhappy with security. Some said burglaries had taken place without the security guards noticing. DAB members showed examples of poor hygiene, which was mentioned by about 28 per cent of respondents.
Or Chong-shing, a Kwun Tong district councillor, said that The Link had raised its charges every year, while other private parking charges had remained stable.
'We've seen the prices going higher and higher, but the service is lagging far behind,' Mr Or said.
A spokeswoman for The Link Management said that the company had enhanced its CCTV system and adopted electronic entry in all its car parks last year. She said it had kept close contact with the police, implementing various anti-crime measures. Meanwhile, several Democratic Party members, including lawmaker Fred Li Wah-ming, staged a sit-in yesterday outside the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in Wan Chai, protesting against high rents for The Link's properties.
'We've received many complaints from tenants who have had to close their business due to crazy rent rises. According to our information, The Link has been adding at least 25 per cent to the rent when renewing contracts,' Mr Li said. 'Sometimes it's even double or triple the original rent.'
The Democrat members vowed to stay overnight and hand in a petition to the company when it holds its annual meeting in the hotel this morning.
