Starting tomorrow, all vehicles accessing Phnom Penh International Airport will be welcomed by a new hi-tech parking lot, which has been designed to ease traffic congestion, according to an airport representative.

Chloé Lapeyre, the airport’s general manager, said in a press conference yesterday that over $1 million was invested to install advance parking equipment and widen the lanes.

“The redesigned car park will have new access points and exits and will be partially accessible to the public after a soft launch this Thursday,” she said, adding that the car park will be fully operational in two to three weeks’ time.

“The deployment of the automatic payment machines and the widening of the passenger lanes will ease traffic congestion at the airport where an average of 3,000 vehicles transit daily,” she said.

Ms Lapeyre said there are currently eight automatic payment machines in the airport. The parking fee is fixed at $0.50 per entrance for motorcycles and at $1.25 and $1.50 per hour for cars and vans, respectively.

She said the new design and hi-tech systems will change parking at the airport, reducing traffic and freeing up car park attendants so that they can focus on helping passengers.

Ms Lapeyre said some lanes have been reserved for holders of Svay Cards, which are new prepaid parking cards for frequent users.

The new Svay Card will provide several benefits, she said, including a 10 percent top-up bonus and privileged access to express lanes, which will allow drivers to drop off passengers near the entrances to departure check-in halls.

Svay Cards will allow drivers to enter and exit the car park and express lanes with a simple scan of their card at entry and exit gates. The scanners debit the parking fee upon exit, she added.