CARPARK CHARGES

Column: 975

CARPARK CHARGES

20.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Minister for National Development, in view of the move towards a five-day work week where Saturday is a non-working day, will his Ministry consider waiving (or at least reducing) the HDB and URA peak-hour carpark charges in the Central Business District on Saturdays.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: URA/HDB parking charges are levied to recover the cost of building and maintaining the carparks and to regulate parking demand. The recent introduction of a five-day work week for the Civil Service does not necessarily lead to lower parking demand throughout the Central Business District (CBD). In certain areas, such as in popular shopping and dining hubs like Orchard Road , Chinatown and Queen Street , it may generate higher parking demand.

As such, there is a need to maintain parking charges in the CBD areas so as to regulate vehicular turnover and enable more motorists to make better use of the limited public car parks. URA and HDB will continue to monitor the parking demand on Saturdays in the CBD areas and will review the charges as and when necessary.