Seven public car parks to introduce maximum parking fees

[Photo: Renato Marques]

Following calls from the public and after consulting sector stakeholders, the Transport Bureau (DSAT) has decided to implement changes to the charging systems of seven car parks, which will introduce maximum parking fees starting Sept. 2.

Among the car parks involved is the Macau Science Center Car Park, which will apply the 24-hour maximum tariff limit model. In contrast, the public car parks at the Mong Son Building, Ferreira do Amaral Square, Iat Seng Building, Iat Fai Building, Taipa Central Park and Concordia Roundabout will adopt the maximum tariff limit model for daytime and/or nighttime periods.

The changes aim to promote better use of parking resources and encourage the use of public car parks.

Furthermore, the public car parks at Praça de Ferreira do Amaral and the Macau Science Center will start implementing, on the same date (Sept. 2), a half-hour charge model to accelerate the turnover of parking spaces.

DSAT said it expects the flexible model of maximum limits and half-hour charges to facilitate drivers’ use of public car parks, while noting that it will monitor public car park operations after the new rules take effect to ensure the system’s efficiency and identify the need for further updates.

According to the information shared, the maximum 24-hour parking fee at the Macau Science Center Car Park will be MOP75 for private cars and MOP10 for motorcycles.

At Mong Son Building and Ferreira do Amaral Square, the nighttime parking fee cap is MOP24 for cars and MOP6 for motorcycles. Mong Son will also enforce a daytime motorcycle parking cap of MOP12.

At Iat Seng Building, Iat Fai Building and Taipa Central Park, there will be a MOP12 maximum daytime parking fee for motorcycles, reducing to half (MOP6) for nighttime parking.

The parking facility at Concordia Roundabout will also enforce the same MOP6 limit for nighttime motorcycle parking.

For short-term parking, the fee for cars will be MOP1.50 for half an hour at night and MOP3 during the day, while the fee for motorcycles will be MOP0.50 per 30-minute period at night and MOP1 during the day.

Two revamped motorcycle parking spaces to enter operation

The Transport Bureau (DSAT) has announced that two new parking facilities solely dedicated to motorcycle parking will enter operation at the end of September.

The two facilities are located at Avenida da Praia Grande and Avenida Padre Tomás Pereira in Taipa. They are part of a plan to convert former parking areas into new ones.

According to DSAT, the transformation will be done gradually and is expected to become operational before the end of September, with the specific opening date to be announced in due course.

The new parking spaces are being created to increase turnover and facilitate parking in central areas of high demand.

The system will simultaneously adopt the “first 15 minutes free” and “charge every half hour” models, using an electronic payment system that supports contactless payment via Mpark, the Macau Pass card, MPay and UnionPay’s QuickPass.

In case of system failure, payment will be made in cash or electronically at the payment machine, and the vehicle must be removed within 15 minutes of payment.

These are the first of the new parking meter facilities tendered recently, and they aim to completely revamp the street parking system as contracted, while also allowing multiple payment methods, including remote payment.

At Praia Grande, 90 parking spaces will be available, while at Padre Tomás Pereira, the system will apply to 48 parking spaces.

Parking fees will be MOP1 for every 30 minutes of daytime parking and MOP0.50 for every 30 minutes of nighttime parking.