Tourism policy under attack as buses run out of parking spaces

Tsim Sha Tsui is desperately short of parking spaces for tour buses, a concern group says.

Jacky Lam Hung-tat, a member of the Our Bus Terminal committee, said there were only 33 metered parking places between the west of Hung Hom and south of Jordan, not enough, given that during peak season there are anything up to 200 tour buses in the area.

Lam said Aberdeen, home to Ocean Park and the Jumbo floating restaurant, had the same problem. For some drivers the only solution was to pay HK$50 an hour to park at Ocean Park.

Lam said many drivers breached traffic regulations and parked nearby to wait for tourists. However, when caught, some had to pay the fines themselves.

'A lot of tour coaches park at the roadside on the Avenue of Stars. In fact, the buses are illegally parking there but they have no choice because they need to wait for the tourists to return.

'When Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen keeps saying the government will strongly support tourism, which is one of the city's major pillar industries, he has failed to look into the parking problem, which is key to the whole industry.'