New capped parking fees aim to ease parking crunch, says adviser

[Photo: Yuki Lei]

Capped parking fees at seven public car parks aim to tackle Macau’s parking shortage by using price signals to shift demand from busy facilities to underused ones, a Transport Advisory Committee member has said.

The government’s decision to introduce capped parking fees at seven public car parks marks a significant shift in Macau’s parking policy, using pricing mechanisms to address the city’s chronic parking shortage, according to a Transport Advisory Committee member.

She noted that the introduction of both full-day and nighttime caps reflects a more nuanced understanding of demand patterns, with the aim of steering vehicles from overburdened facilities to nearby underused sites.

However, she cautioned that the success of the scheme would depend on careful monitoring of occupancy rates, turnover and diversion effects, and urged authorities to expand the model to more low-use car parks based on evidence rather than intuition.

She also stressed the need for better integration between parking facilities and pedestrian systems, pointing to the government’s study of an underground link between the parking facilities along Avenida Dr. Sun Yat Sen and nearby commercial buildings as a positive direction for future developments.

In addition, Chan called for a simple and intuitive fee structure across all public car parks, warning that overly complex pricing could confuse drivers and undermine the scheme’s effectiveness. She recommended that the government use clear signage and targeted promotions to raise public awareness of the new capped fees.