Driving round idyllic area is no walk in the park with parked cars aplenty
RAQUEL CARVALHOraquel.carvalho@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 23 August, 2015, 4:35am
UPDATED : Sunday, 23 August, 2015, 4:35am
The likelihood of getting a ticket, say, at MacDonnell Road, is driving people to The Peak. Photos: Edward Wong
With its millionaire residents, glamorous homes and idyllic, hilltop surroundings, living at The Peak may seem like a dream. But for some, the menace of illegal parking is rendering life in the exclusive area a nightmare.
The problem - blamed on private chauffeurs and taxi drivers looking to avoid fines for parking illegally in Central - is made worse by the narrow, two-lane roads, the area's district councillor says.
Already narrow two lane roads are cramped by illegally parked cars.
"We receive complaints pretty much every day at various locations, including May Road, Tregunter Path, MacDonnell Road and Mount Austin Road," said Joseph Chan Ho-lim, who represents The Peak on Central and Western district council.
"Less space for cars circulating in the area and reduced visibility pose a serious danger. Illegal parking on The Peak isn't just a matter of inconvenience. It's also a matter of public safety."
Chan has raised the issue in the council and has written to the police and Transport Department about it.
"Regardless of our repeated complaints, there are no notable improvements … We need stricter enforcement from the police. Verbal warnings are not enough," he said, calling for "Keep Clear" signs put up on the streets.
Those who had complained included government officials and directors of listed companies, he added.
Most often, complaints involve chauffeurs leaving engines idling while waiting for their bosses.
Mark Peaker, 52, a gallery owner who had lived on The Peak for 13 years, said he had reported several cars parked illegally near his home on May Road, to little effect.
"I have a right to not be surrounded by illegally parked cars," he said. "May Road is … part of a popular walking area for tourists and residents, now ruined by the illegal parking, idling and pollution of drivers who know they will never be ticketed."
Drivers saw areas such as May Road as "free parking destinations", Peaker said.
Because of the illegal parking, some vehicles must cross into the path of oncoming vehicles, he said.
"It's only a matter of time before a fatal accident occurs."
The concerns follow years of complaints about illegal parking in Central, most often involving chauffeurs leaving engines idling while waiting for their bosses.
Police said they received 99 complaints about illegal parking on The Peak and issued 703 fixed-penalty tickets from January to last month.
A spokesman said police would "closely monitor the illegal parking situation and take focused traffic enforcement action against the offending vehicles and drivers at appropriate times".
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1851745/illegal-parking-idyllic-peak-frustrates-residents
