New car fine policy requires credit card

• Source: Global Times
• [09:19 September 06 2010]
• Comments

File photo of one of the offices in the city where drivers can pay their fines. Photo: CFP

Residents have filed complaints over a new requirement for traffic violation fines to be paid through a designated credit card.

Traffic authorities admitted Sunday that the new policy, in cooperation with Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) requires drivers who wish to pay off a number of fines incurred in different districts in a single transaction must use a credit card issued by the bank.

Drivers can still use other payment methods, but in order to do so they will need to visit designated payment offices in each of the districts in which they incurred fines to pay them separately.

The authorities said the new policy, which has been in effect since August 1, is aimed at making payment of fines "convenient" for car owners.

A resident surnamed Shen told local media that thousands of car owners in the city had been affected by this new policy, and that most of his friends have chosen to apply for the credit card rather than go to different districts to pay their fines.

"We really questioned the policy's validity as we have to spend much more time if we don't want to apply for the credit cards," said Shen.

The reports said this was the fist time such cooperation between a government department and a bank had taken place.

Global Times