LCQ4: On-street parking spaces designated for people with disabilities
22.2.2023

Following is a question by the Hon Judy Chan and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, in the Legislative Council today (February 22): Question: In the past, only drivers with disabilities holding a Disabled Person's Parking Permit (DPPP) were entitled to use the on-street parking spaces (the parking spaces) designated for people with disabilities (PWDs). With effect from January 29, 2021, the Government extended the eligibility for using the parking spaces to holders of the Parking Certificate for Drivers Who Carry People with Mobility Disabilities (the Certificate) to facilitate their carrying of prescribed people with mobility disabilities. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) of the respective numbers of the parking spaces, as well as the respective issuing situations of DPPP and the Certificate, in each of the two years before the using eligibility was extended and in each of the years since the extension; (2) as it is learnt that the abuse of the parking spaces has been severe, of the respective numbers of successful prosecutions instituted against drivers charged with illegal parking at the parking spaces over the two years before the using eligibility was extended and since the extension; (3) in order to protect the rights of PWDs, whether the Government has studied measures to enhance the parking spaces and the improvement of their usage; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and (4) whether it will consider formulating an effective monitoring mechanism, such that the parking spaces will be available for use by PWDs with genuine needs; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that? Reply: President, To balance and cater for the travel needs of persons with different types of disabilities (including those who are capable of driving on their own and those who are not) the Government has implemented a new measure at the end of January 2021 to extend the eligibility for using on-street parking spaces designated for the disabled (designated on-street parking spaces). In the past, only drivers with disabilities holding a Disabled Person's Parking Permit (DPPP) were eligible; after the extension, holders of a Parking Certificate for Drivers Who Carry People with Mobility Disabilities (Parking Certificate) are also eligible. In consultation with the Transport Department (TD) and the Hong Kong Police Force (the Police), my reply to the question raised by the Hon Judy Chan is as follows: (1) The number of designated on-street parking spaces, valid DPPPs and Parking Certificates in each year from the two years before the implementation of the new measure to the end of January 2023 are tabulated below: End-January 2019 End-January 2020 End-January 2021 End-January 2022 End-January 2023 No. of designated on-street parking spaces 421 432 449 469 522 No. of valid DPPPs 1 800 1 790 1 810 1 735 1 699 No. of valid Parking Certificates 1 930 1 898 1 840 2 488 2 826 (2) To monitor whether designated on-street parking spaces have been misused, the TD conducts regular inspections at parking locations with high utilisation rates (such as designated on-street parking spaces in busy urban areas and those frequently used by people with disabilities) and at parking locations against which complaints or reports have been lodged by the public. Subject to the investigation result, the TD will issue a warning letter to the holder of Parking Certificate in breach of the conditions of approval (including the requirement that when the Parking Certificate holder drives in and/or out of the designated on-street parking spaces, the person with lower limb mobility disabilities as stated on TD's approval letters should be on board), and will consider cancelling his/her Parking Certificate. Since the implementation of the new measure up to the end of January 2023, the TD cancelled a total of 22 Parking Certificates upon following up on the cases. The enforcement and prosecution against illegal parking at designated on-street parking spaces or parking of a vehicle in a designated on-street parking space for a continuous period of more than 24 hours are under the purview of the Police. The Police does not maintain any breakdown of prosecution figures of illegal parking at designated on-street parking spaces. (3) and (4) The TD understands that opening up designated on-street parking spaces to holders of Parking Certificates will increase the demand for these parking spaces. Upon implementation of the new measure, the TD has been actively reviewing the parking demands of different types of vehicles in various districts and increasing designated on-street parking spaces at suitable locations. The number of these parking spaces has been on the rise in recent years. The TD is also studying measures to improve designated on-street parking spaces, including reviewing the application eligibility and approval criteria of the Parking Certificates, and strengthening measures to deter misuses of these certificates. In addition, the TD is exploring the application of new technologies, such as installing smart monitoring system at designated on-street parking spaces, to enhance monitoring of their usage. The TD aims to conduct a trial of the relevant monitoring system at individual locations in the first half of 2023. The TD will continue to closely monitor the usage of designated on-street parking spaces and maintain close liaison with the relevant groups of persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to listen to their views on enhancement measures of these parking spaces, with a view to meeting the travel needs of persons with different types of disabilities.