The new parking system is being mooted by the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA). It could see motorists forking out up to R5 an hour to park in the streets selected for the parking system pilot project. The system, which will replace the old coin-operated metering system, will be piloted at 1,329 parking bays.
MBDA spokesman Luvuyo Bangazi said business owners had themselves first proposed corporate packages.
"The corporate packages are meant to alleviate the financial burden on employers and employees while still honouring our civic duties, like paying for services rendered," he said.
But many eateries in Richmond Hill and Central feel the mobile parking system will destroy their businesses. "The whole point of organising and publishing public participation meetings is to hear the views and opinions of those likely to be affected," Bangazi said. "We appreciate the views we received and we assured them that these issues will be seriously considered when the programme is put out for implementation."
He said most businesses in Richmond Hill had given the pilot project the thumbs-up at public meetings in June. "Richmond Hill businesses voted by a show of hands to allow the MBDA to pursue the project. They gave us the green light to move the process forward.
"We will take into account the operating times of the system for each unique area.
"The inner CBD and Stanley Street are clearly different and require differentiation in application because the shopping patterns differ significantly.
"This means we can never have a one-size-fits-all approach."
Bangazi said the MBDA had merely prepared the proposal, which included all concerns raised in the public meetings with affected businesses. It is now up to the Nelson Mandela Bay council to give the pilot project the green light.
Source: Herald
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