Link REIT has announced an extra HK$10 parking fee during special hours across several housing estate car parks and markets, coinciding with the Lunar New Year.
The surcharge applies from 9am to 9:59pm on February 13 to 15 and also February 20, and throughout the day from midnight to 11.59pm on February 16 to 19.
Many drivers have expressed frustration over the holiday surcharge, describing it as unreasonable.
"Although 10 dollars is a small amount, it shouldn't be like this," Yau, a driver at a car park in Ho Man Tin, said. He noted that the Lunar New Year brings a surge of visitors returning to old housing estates to visit relatives, leading to high demand for parking. Yau believes Link REIT is unfairly capitalizing on the festive crowds by raising prices.
Wong, another driver, said he only learned of the surcharge after entering the parking lot. "Raising prices during the Lunar New Year period seems unreasonable," he commented.
Records show it is not the first time Link REIT has imposed extra parking fees during peak periods. In August, parking lots at Hung Hom Estate, Hoi Fu Court, and Sam Shing Estate also charged an additional HK$10 during special hours.
A Link REIT spokesperson said the surcharge aims to ease the shortage of hourly parking spaces and manage traffic flow during the Lunar New Year. The company has been implementing similar measures since March last year during peak times.
The group said it would continue to review the effectiveness and necessity of these surcharges.
