Motorists in Penang will begin paying more for parking on the island following the Penang Island City Council’s (MBPP) move to increase public parking rates by 50% effective from today, FMT reports.
Under the new rates, parking fees have been increased from RM0.40 to RM0.60 every half an hour and from 80 sen to RM1.20 per hour. The daily parking rate has also been increased from RM6 to RM9, but the monthly parking pass remains fixed at RM150. As such, motorists have been urged to top-up the balance in their Penang Smart Parking app.
According to MBPP mayor Datuk A. Rajendran, the decision to increase the parking rate was aimed at reducing parking congestion in high-demand areas, with the rate increase hopefully preventing motorists from hogging the limited public parking spaces by parking for extended hours.
“There are motorists who park their vehicles for 10 to 12 hours straight, making it difficult for others to find parking space,” he said, adding that drivers who were forced to look for parking spaces would create further congestion. He said the council was mulling the introduction of a time-limited parking system time in busy areas such as Lebuh Chulia and Lebuh Pasar.
Rajendran said that the MBPP was also working with developers to ensure private parking facilities in commercial buildings adopt a similar fee structure to the council, and that the council has initiated an open tender process to develop a multi-storey parking facility along Weld Quay for more parking spaces.
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why not this datuk mayor try to be ordinary citizen for a month and come back to decide whether the parking rate needs to be increased or not? blue collars work for ten hours for sure need to park ten hours lah, you thought we so rich no work also go pay for parking ah.
Thank you DAP
MBPP should take action against illegal parking. Shop lot owners should not allow vehicles to park illegally in front of their shops. If any vehicle is found parked or stopped in front of a shop—whether for purchasing goods or not—a summons should be issued to the shop owner.
want less traffic!
build silicon island
want less jam!
increase parking rate
DAP penang dont have any idea anymore to setel penang congestion
yet, build more high rise
No effects on motorcyclist and bicyclist KEK