LCQ22: Parking spaces for commercial vehicles
1.11.2023

Following is a question by the Hon Chan Han-pan and a written reply by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr Lam Sai-hung, in the Legislative Council today (November 1): Question: As at February this year, the ratio of parking spaces for commercial vehicles (CVs) to licensed CVs was about 0.6, meaning that four out of every 10 CVs are "homeless". Moreover, the shortage of parking spaces will become more acute under extreme weather as there is a need for all CVs to park. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: (1) whether it has compiled statistics on (i) the number of CVs damaged due to extreme weather, and the total amounts of repair costs and insurance compensation involved, and (ii) the number of fixed penalty notices issued by the Government against illegal parking of CVs the day before and after, and on the day of extreme weather, in each of the past three years (set out in a table); (2) whether it will consider formulating new measures to increase the provision of CV parking spaces, including designating parking spaces specifically for night time or under inclement weather in the vicinity of Kwai Chung Container Terminals and in industrial areas/remote areas; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and (3) given that the current Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines require the provision of one "shared-use" parking space for light goods vehicles and light buses per 260 flats in subsidised housing development projects, whether the authorities will consider revising the relevant standard to increase the provision of CV parking spaces; if so, of the details and timetable; if not, the reasons for that? Reply: President, Attaching great importance to the parking needs of commercial vehicles (CVs), the Government has been paying heed to the demand for parking of CVs, and proactively pursuing a host of short-term and medium-to-long-term measures to increase the supply of such parking spaces accordingly as far as possible, including: (i) Continuing to provide additional on-street CV parking spaces at suitable locations and designate night-time CV parking spaces while ensuring that traffic flow, road safety or the loading/unloading activities of vehicles will not be affected; (ii) Continuing to actively utilise idle government lands, such as sites in new development areas where construction works have yet to commence, by exploring the feasibility of providing more short-term tenancy (STT) car parks. Meanwhile, the Government has been stipulating the minimum provision of CV parking spaces in the tenancy agreements of suitable STT car parks; (iii) Encouraging schools to open for parking of student service vehicles during non-school hours; (iv) Providing additional public parking spaces, including those for CVs, in suitable "Government, Institution or Community" facilities and public open space projects under the principle of "single site, multiple use". Subject to the results of technical feasibility assessments and the progress of seeking required approvals for the projects under planning, as well as the construction progress of the approved projects, it is expected that about 20 suitable development projects will be completed by batches to provide additional CV parking spaces starting from 2024-25; (v) Revising the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines (HKPSG) in 2021, which increased the type and number of parking spaces for CVs in subsidised housing development projects; and (vi) Requiring that a certain number of ancillary parking spaces and loading/unloading bays in suitable new development projects be opened for night-time parking of CVs. In consultation with the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Insurance Authority (IA), the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and the Transport Department (TD), a consolidated reply to the questions raised by the Hon Chan Han-pan is as follows: (1) Regarding the total amount of insurance claims paid for CVs damaged due to extreme weather in the past three years, there is no relevant breakdown in the motor vehicle insurance market statistics maintained by the IA, and hence the relevant information cannot be provided. Moreover, as regards the HKPF's enforcement work against illegal parking, there is no specific differentiation with respect to CVs, and therefore the HKPF does not maintain a separate breakdown on the number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued to CVs. According to the prosecution records of the HKPF, for the period between January 1, 2021 and October 15, 2023, the numbers of FPNs issued against illegal parking (including those to CVs and other vehicles) the day before and after, and during Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (No. 8 or above) and the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal were in force are as follows: Year No. of FPNs against illegal parking issued during extreme weather (Note 1), and the day before and after (i.e. including days with non-extreme weather) (Figure (i)) Ratio of the daily average of Figure (i) to the daily average of FPNs against illegal parking issued in the corresponding year 2021 around 82 400 (including Tropical Storm Lionrock, Typhoon Kompasu and Black Rainstorm Warning Signals amounting to 14 days in total) around 1:1.4 2022 around 88 400 (including Typhoon Chaba, Typhoon Ma-on and Severe Tropical Storm Nalgae amounting to 12 days in total) around 1:1.25 2023 (As at 15 October) around 89 700 (including Typhoon Talim, Super Typhoon Saola, Severe Typhoon Koinu and Black Rainstorm Warning Signals amounting to 17 days in total) around 1:1.59 Note 1: Including the durations when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (No. 8 or above), the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal were in force and when there were extreme conditions. (2) and (3) As mentioned earlier, the TD has been taking forward a host of measures, including striving to continuously provide additional on-street CV parking spaces at suitable locations and designate night-time CV parking spaces while ensuring that traffic flow, road safety or the loading/unloading activities of vehicles will not be affected, with a view to increasing the supply of CV parking spaces. Considering the demand for on-street parking spaces for goods vehicles (including the time when goods vehicle drivers get off work) as well as the views of the trades, the TD is also reviewing the arrangements for on-street night-time parking spaces for goods vehicles in different districts. If the traffic conditions of individual locations allow, the TD would advance the opening hours of parking of these spaces from 8pm to 7pm. The TD will continue to closely monitor the changes in parking space supply in different districts and pay heed to the needs of the trades concerned, with a view to proactively increasing the supply of parking spaces for CVs in different districts and making flexible arrangements with regard to the local circumstances as far as possible. According to the findings of the consultancy study on parking for CVs commenced by the TD in 2018, most of the CV drivers would park their vehicles near their places of residence or at STT sites. To address the parking needs of CV drivers, the Government revised the HKPSG in August 2021 to increase the type and number of parking spaces for CVs in subsidised housing development projects. After revision, the provision standard has been raised to one "shared-use" space for light goods vehicles (LGV) and light buses per 260 flats from the previous standard of one LGV parking space per 200 to 600 flats (i.e. about per 400 flats on average). Moreover, the revised HKPSG stipulates that loading/unloading bays have to be opened for night-time parking of large-sized CVs. Subject to the progress of individual development projects, it is expected that the relevant development projects will be providing additional CV parking spaces progressively in the coming two to three years at the earliest. In light of the parking demand of CVs, the Government will continue to proactively provide additional parking spaces for CVs at suitable locations, such as in the vicinity of container terminals, industrial areas and remote areas. The Government will also stipulate the minimum provision of CV parking spaces in the tenancy agreements of suitable STT car parks. Generally speaking, locations suitable for parking during adverse weather can also be used for parking under normal weather. From the angle of increasing the provision of parking spaces, it is not necessary to restrict the use of such spaces to parking during adverse weather.