Sunday 5 January 2014

Penang's new parking system

Penang's new parking system

As of today, parking attendants will stop collecting parking fees at Penang Island Municipal Council's 11,103 parking spaces.

There will also be no more coin-operated parking meters, which were first installed in 1995, in many parts of the city.

Motorists must now start using parking coupons which come in booklets of RM7.50 each.

There are more than 200 outlets, including petrol stations, 24-hour marts and eateries, selling these booklets on Penang island.

Since Monday, the council has been removing part of the 2,400 coin-operated meters to make way for the new coupon parking system.

Apart from the parking coupons, motorists can also use the Smart Parking Gadget (SPG) system.

The SPG is an electronic device with preloaded credit. Placed on the dashboard, parking wardens can scan it to check for payment.

However, the SPG would only be introduced in May.

Yesterday, many motorists were surprised to see council workers pulling out the machines from the parking lots in Gat Lebuh China.

Some passers-by took the opportunity to take photos with the meters for the last time.

Many were not aware of the new coupon parking system, which the local authority believes would improve its parking charges collection.

On mainland Penang, the coupon-based system has been in use for the past 18 years.

The new system is expected to improve the council’s parking fee collection.

~News courtesy of New Straits Times~

No comments:

Post a Comment