The Ha Noi People's Committee earlier this month ordered the concerned authorities to ensure the implementation of the city's regulations in parking lots.
Organisations and individuals who own parking lots where regulations are repeatedly violated will lose their licenses. — Photo baodautu.vn
The order specifically requires parking lots to strictly follow regulations during the Lunar New Year and other festivals held at the beginning of 2016.
People often rush to festivals at the beginning of the year, so many owners of parking lots illegally increase their parking fees.
The usual parking fee for motorbikes is VND5,000 to VND7,000 (from 2 US cents to 3 cents) per day, and for cars, it is VND15,000 to VND30,000 (67 cents to $1.3) daily.
It is acceptable for the owners of parking lots to increase their fees by 10 to 20 per cent during festivals.
However, in practice, the fees have dramatically risen to VND50,000-VND70,000 ($2.2 to $3.1) per motorbike per day and to VND100,000-VND200,000 ($4.5 to $8.9) per car.
"I took my children to Van Mieu (Literature Temple) last Wednesday and had to pay a fee of VND100,000 ($4.5) to park in the area for one hour. When I asked for my parking ticket, they refused to give it to me. However, it was difficult to find another parking lot there, so I had to accept that price," Nguyen Xuan Huong, from Long Bien District on the outskirts of Ha Noi, said.
Accordingly, the authorities in various localities must actively manage the parking lots to ensure they meet the regulated conditions and must shut down all parking lots operating without licenses.
Police in communes, wards and towns are responsible for checking the collection of fees at parking lots.
Local authorities will be held responsible for allowing parking lots to operate without licenses or to flout regulations.
Organisations and individuals that are repeat offenders will have their licenses revoked.
VNS