PARKING OFFENCES IN HDB/URA CARPARKS

Dr Koh Lip Lin asked the Minister for National Development what is the monthly average number of motorists who committed parking offences in Housing and Development Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority carparks, and how many of them were charged in court for not paying up the fines.

The Minister of State for National Development (Dr Lee Boon Yang) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, an average of 57,000 and 71,500 notices for parking offences are issued monthly by URA and HDB respectively.

Of the 57,000 notices issued by URA, about 2,000 or 3.5% are issued with summons to attend court for not paying up their fines. Of these, about 1,800 pay their fines before being brought to court while the remaining 200 (or 0.35%) are charged in court.

For HDB, of the 71,500 notices issued each month, about 3,600 or 5% are issued with summonses to attend court. Of these, about 900 pay their fines before being brought to court while the remaining 2,700 (or 3.8%) are charged in court.

Dr Koh Lip Lin: How much money, in terms of fines, are collected each month from these offences?

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I regret I do not have the exact quantum of fines collected for the year.

Dr Koh Lip Lin: Sir, I just want to ask whether the Minister is happy about the current situation. I would imagine that he is unhappy because there are so many people committing offences but, on the other hand, he should be happy because each month the Ministry is collecting a lot of money in fines.

Dr Lee Boon Yang: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, it would not be correct to say that we are happy because we are collecting a lot of fines. We very much prefer a situation where motorists obey the parking regulations so that there is a minimum need to impose penalties on those who either use invalid coupons or overstay their parking duration. The rules are made not because we want to raise more fines but because it is necessary to benefit the vast majority of law-abiding motorists who dutifully use the correct coupons and park within the limit that they have paid for.