Trial use of electronic cash cards on parking launched

Electronic parking will be pushed a step forward as the Transport Department (TD) launches its six-month trial scheme on reloadable electronic cash cards, Mondex card and Visa Cash card this Saturday (March 25).

Apart from e-Park cards currently in use, electronic parking meters on about 700 existing parking spaces on 38 streets in Wan Chai, Happy Valley, and Causeway Bay will accept Mondex cards while those on another 700 parking spaces on 37 streets in Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Ma Tei will take Visa Cash cards.

Introducing the scheme to open up the electronic parking system in a press conference held today (March 21), the Principal Transport Officer of the department Mr Peter Luk said that motorists would no doubt find the re-loadable Mondex card and Visa Cash card, which serve as an alternative for parking payment, very convenient and environmentally friendly.

"They may add value to their cards at the Automated Teller Machines with Mondex and Visa Cash logos," added Mr Luk.

"If the trial goes successfully, the government will spend less in the cost by issuing less non-reloadable e-Park cards."

The application procedure of Mondex card and Visa Cash card on the electronic parking meters is the same as that of e-Park cards, and the meters are able to accept both e-Park cards and the electronic cash card in one transaction.

Residual values left in an e-Park card or electronic cash card can be used up through split payment when motorists pull out the e-Park card and insert an electronic cash card or vice versa.

Mr Luk reminded motorists to follow carefully the operation instructions displayed on the meters for purchasing parking time and not to withdraw electronic cash cards out of the meters while a transaction was still in process.

"Motorists may not successfully obtain parking time if a transaction is incomplete," said Mr Luk.

Relevant card logos will be affixed to the electronic parking meters involved in the trial. Both the parking meter management contractor and the card Associations will deploy staff to guide users at the beginning of the trial.

"The department will evaluate the result at the end of the trial and the performance of the two electronic cash cards will be assessed on the basis of the relative reliability of the cards, maintenance requirements, revenue security, enforcement implications and public acceptability, " said Mr Luk.

"We will continue to examine the feasibility of opening up the electronic parking system to accept other re-loadable smart cards such as Octopus. A separate trial scheme on Octopus is planned to be conducted in the latter half of 2000. Subject to the results of the trials, the TD will decide on the programme for full implementation in early 2001."

To ensure smooth operation of the trial scheme, the number of the enquiry hotline (2318 0616) is displayed on the back of every parking meter for handling enquiries about the meter operation. For enquiries concerning the individual cash cards, motorists should call relevant customer service hotlines printed on the cards instead.

Separate publicity programmes on the trial scheme will be launched by the meter management contractor, the two participating banks and the electronic cash card companies.

At present, there are about 16,000 metered parking spaces in the territory. During the period from April 1998 to September 1999, all coin-operated mechanical meters were progressively replaced by Electronic Parking Devices (EPDs). Only e-Park cards issued by the TD were accepted by EPDs when these devices were first introduced.

Tuesday, March 21, 2000