Govt eyes industrial sites in new development areas for commercial vehicle parking

The government is considering reserving space within industrial sites in new development areas for commercial vehicle parking facilities, as part of broader efforts to address parking shortages, according to an official from the Transport Department.

Assistant Commissioner for Transport Leung Sai-ho said the proposal follows the release of the government’s Transport Strategy Blueprint last week, which sets out 25 recommendations aimed at promoting the sustainable development of Hong Kong’s transport system, including measures to tackle parking demand.

Leung said the authorities are exploring the possibility of designating parking facilities at the planning stage of industrial land developments in the Northern Metropolis and other new areas. The government is also looking at pre-planning on-street parking spaces specifically for commercial vehicles.

The blueprint also proposes a “demand-oriented smart public transport model.” Assistant Commissioner for Transport Patrick Wong Chi-kwong said the initiative would be implemented under the Smart Traffic Fund.

Under the proposal, research institutions would work with public light bus operators to develop a mobile application for passengers. The authorities are also in discussions with bus companies about piloting the model on selected franchised routes.

Wong said the model would be particularly suitable for late-night bus services operating between the airport and urban areas. He explained that passengers would be able to use the app to pre-set their boarding time and location.

After analyzing the collected data, bus companies could consider deploying special services, allowing operators to better align resources and schedules with actual demand, he said.