Beijing puts electronic meters to collect parking fee

March 17th, 2011 - 5:24 pm ICT by IANS  

Beijing, March 17 (IANS) The Beijing authority will install electronic metres at various parking lots to collect charges from vehicle owners using the space, a move which would gradually replace manual attendants.

About 900 electronic meters will be installed by April 1, which will be used for street parking in crowded downtown areas in China’s capital city, Xinhua reported Thursday citing the Municipal Commission of Transport.

Beijing first introduced parking meters in 1999, installing 150 meters. The trial, however, failed as people were unwilling to purchase the electronic cards used in the devices for making payments.

The municipal commission said Wednesday that the new meters will accept the city’s metro cards as well.

The commission said it would continue to promote the use of parking meters which can gradually replace parking attendants.

Beijing, with about 5 million vehicles on the road, faces major challenges of parking space as well as traffic congestion.

Beijing has about 1.39 million commercial parking lots and a total of 778,167 parking spaces in residential areas. The city authority, however, aims to add 200,000 commercial parking spaces and 50,000 public parking lots over the next five years.

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