Transport Department joins with Community Chest on charity campaign

Motorists will soon be able to contribute to the charity Community Chest through their e-Park cards. Starting from October 1, people can donate the remaining value of their e-Park cards to the Community Chest, if they don't want to redeem the remainder themselves.

To support the Community Chest, the Transport Department will launch the "Support the Community Chest with your e-Park card" campaign. Between October 1 and December 31, 2004, motorists can put their e-Park Cards with remaining value into collection boxes inside 23 e-Park Card refund outlets and all local Shell petroleum filling stations.

"After the collection period, the Transport Department will calculate the remaining value of the collected e-Park Cards and give that amount to the Community Chest," a department spokesman said.

The second phase parking meter replacement programme was launched in June this year and all e-Park Card operated parking meters in the territory will be replaced by Octopus-operated meters by December.

"Since a falling usage of e-Park Card was expected and people will retrieve the remaining value of the Cards, the department had designated 23 refund outlets from where the remaining value can be returned," the spokesman said.

"During the donation campaign, the Community Chest will put collection boxes at these refund outlets to collect the e-Park Cards. Shell has also agreed to have the collection boxes set up inside its petroleum filling stations," the spokesman added.

The campaign is a joint initiative of the TD, the Community Chest, Hong Kong Parking Limited, Shell Hong Kong Limited and Wilson Parking (Hong Kong) Limited.

A notice will be displayed in phase at parking meters throughout the territory to publicise the campaign. Details about the scheme are also available on the website of the Transport Department at http://www.info.gov.hk/td/eng/transport/octopusmeter.html or e-Park card hotline 2318 0616.

Ends/Friday, September 24, 2004