Hong Kong lawmakers have passed amendments to increase parking fines to HK$400 starting next year, as the government promises to increase parking spaces to address drivers’ concerns.
Addressing the Legislative Council, transport chief Mable Chan said that a stronger deterrent effect was needed for parking and other traffic-related offences. The fixed penalties have remained unchanged since 1994, she said, while the Consumer Price Index has risen by more than 70 per cent over the same period.
“This reflects that the existing level of fines is no longer sufficient to achieve the desired deterrent effect,” Chan told the legislature on Wednesday.
According to the government’s proposal, parking fines will be increased from HK$320 to HK$400, while other traffic-related offences, including running a red light, speeding and picking up passengers in restricted zones, will see a 50 per cent hike.
For those 19 offences, the smallest fine of HK$320 and the largest of HK$1,000 will be increased to a range of HK$480 to HK$1,500. They will come into effect on January 1, 2026.
Accidents on the rise
Chan also said on Wednesday that the number of tickets issued by the police for illegal parking “remains high,” as the authorities received 370 complaints in the first quarter this year, a 10 per cent increase over the same period last year.
Fatal traffic accidents and the number of deaths have also increased by 40 per cent in the first quarter this year compared with last year.
Lawmakers had earlier criticised the proposal, warning the move would cause “resentment” as drivers were already suffering from a severe shortage of parking spots.
Addressing those concerns, the government said that more than 15,000 parking spaces had been added citywide over the past three years, with about a third allocated to commercial vehicles.
It also plans to add more than 12,000 spaces over the next two years.
The increases in fines were “relatively moderate,” the government said, considering the level of inflation since 1994. “Hence, in the interest of protecting public safety, it is essential to maintain consistent penalty levels across vehicle types.”
Financial Secretary Paul Chan said during his budget address in February that the government planned to raise fines for traffic-related offences as well as parking meter fees, as he announced an estimated HK$87.2 billion deficit in the 2024-25 financial year.
