Gov’t receives 13 bids for new concession to deliver major system upgrade

The government has received a total of 13 bids in the tender to award the concession for all of Macau’s metered street parking spaces.

The tender bids opening ceremony was held yesterday, confirming 13 bidders for the concession, which will have a term of seven years.

As explained from the start, the government will award the concession of all street parking to a single operator, which will have to make major changes and an upgrade of the system to include, among others, several methods of electronic payment, as well as a mobile application that will inform drivers in real time about the status of parking spaces and the possibility of remote payments.

Among the tender conditions is the replacement of the current parking meters, which will be carried out progressively without interrupting service.

According to the Transport Bureau (DSAT), the evaluation of the bids received will begin immediately, with results to be unveiled before the third quarter (Q3) of this year, at which time the new contract will take effect and the new system will be implemented.

At the ceremony, DSAT officials noted that all criteria stated in the tender must be fulfilled, with payment methods to include the existing ones and to be extended to other local and non-local electronic payment methods.

The same officials noted that there are currently around 10,000 metered parking spaces in Macau, which generate an average daily revenue of about MOP130,000.

DSAT also noted that there are currently around 20,000 free parking spaces, mainly for motorcycles, which the bureau plans to gradually convert to paid spaces and include in this concession.

A traffic advisory committee member told the Chinese channel of the public broadcaster TDM that the new measure aims to end the phenomenon of motorcycles blocking sidewalks and the unregulated parking of multiple motorcycles in a single parking space that is seen in several locations across the city, where motorcycle parking spaces have been installed but without a parking meter.

As the Times reporter has also observed over a long period of time, since the installation of motorcycle parking bays in some areas, clearly defining a space for each vehicle, the vehicles parked in those spots have remained unchanged, occupying all the parking bays without any turnover.

In many cases, abandoned vehicles, damaged or even incomplete vehicles (not roadworthy) can be seen occupying these street parking spaces without police authorities acting on these unlawful acts, as the vehicles are not considered to be obstructing the road or sidewalks.

According to figures provided by the Public Security Police Force (PSP) to the same Chinese news outlet, in 2025 the force handled over 6,000 cases (6,095) involving motorcycles obstructing traffic. 664 of these cases involved motorcycles parked unlawfully in front of or behind other vehicles, including cars, thereby obstructing those vehicles from leaving their parking spaces.

The PSP said that, to quickly respond to such cases, the force has installed electronic systems, such as detection and video surveillance, at illegal parking hotspots to ensure road safety and traffic order.

On the same topic, the same traffic advisory committee member, Wong Seng Fat, suggested the government enforce more parking incentives in public car parks, such as extending the first 15 minutes of free parking to more parking facilities. Wong said this would encourage citizens to use car parks instead of illegally parking in short-term parking spaces.

Idle land plot in Taipa to be used for parking

The government will use the land plot classified as BT12 as a temporary outdoor parking lot.
The plot, located at the intersection of Rua de Chaves, Rua de San Tau, and Rua de Braga, behind the Nam San building (blocks 3 and 4), will be transformed into a parking lot with a capacity for 150 vehicles, according to the publication of the parking rules and regulations in the government’s Official Gazette.

The same publication noted that of the 150 available parking spots, 85 will be for cars and 65 for motorcycles.
Parking will be charged at a 30-minute rate or a fraction thereof, at MOP3 for cars and MOP1 for motorcycles during the daytime, with a 50% reduction at night for both vehicle types.

As in other parking lots of this kind, the Transport Bureau (DSAT) will enforce free parking for the first 15 minutes.
The lot allows vehicles to be parked for up to eight consecutive days.
Entry and exit to the car park will be via Rua de Chaves.

As the Chief Executive mentioned in his order, the use of this land plot for a temporary car park comes in line with the government’s bid to make a more rational use of land plots that meet the conditions for temporary use.
The facility was said to be implemented at this location to alleviate the need for parking in this area of the city.

The land plot is also located in the vicinity of BT7, a plot that the government has recently awarded for the construction of a sports ground that includes a basketball and badminton court, as well as other public-use physical exercise equipment. RM