18 February 2022
Vimbayi Mahachi
The charging of redesigned and designated parking bays in the Central Business Distric, CBD, come into effect today.
The parking bays have been zoned according to the vicinity of the park space. The zoning entails how much a motorist will pay.
Tendy Three Investments Private Limited (Pvt) Ltd will today commence charging of 147 parking bays which are categorised as Zone One in the (CBD).
The company won a multimillion-dollar tender for the installation of parking management system in Bulawayo. The Parking management project is being implemented under the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) framework, where Tendy Three Investments (Pvt) Ltd designs, installs and maintains the parking system using its own resources for an initial six year period with the option of an extension of a further four years. Thereafter the project will be transferred for a permanent takeover to the City of Bulawayo.
The parking zones have been described as follows:
Zone 1 is classified as prime parking whilst Zone 2 will be classified as ordinary parking.
Bulawayo Corporate Manager Nesisa Mpofu said the parking management will be rolled out in phases.
“The parking management system will be rolled out in phases starting with Phase 1 which will cover the following areas, Leopold Takawira to 11th Avenue and Fife Street to J. M Nkomo Street (Zone 1 parking).”
Prime parking will cost US$1,00 for thirty minutes and zone two ordinary parking will cost US$2 for an hour.
In an interview conducted by Zim GBC News at the Trade Fair last year the parking management project is supposed to kick off with Closed Circuit Camera Television (CCTVs) which are meant to provide security to vehicles and motorists but have not been installed.
There is no explanation as to why the project commenced without the installation of CCTV cameras.
Mpofu says the project aims to decongest the CBD, create jobs for locals as it will improve revenue collection from the current situation.
Bulawayo City Council hopes the new project will bring sanity in the CBD as it is anticipated that it will manage traffic flow.
The Parking Management System is set to enforce laws that are already in place which will deter would be offending motorists have a change if heart in the manner they have been behaving on the roads lately.
Chargeable offences according to the SI 63/2015 manned by the Bulawayo Clamping and Tow Away By Laws will be effected.
The chargeable offences attract a US$20 fine and and they are as follows,
Parking of motor vehicles across lines of parking bays,
parking of taxi cabs other than in prescribed taxi parking,
parking of motor vehicles for a period longer than indicated by Council,
parking of motor vehicles other than in demarcated parking bays, parking of motor vehicles which does not display a valid licence disc, parking of motor vehicles on pavements, parking of motor vehicles carrying inflammables in built up areas,
parking of motor vehicles for the purpose of hire or sale without Council approval and unloading of commercial vehicles other than in loading zones.
The management system will see the washing of no vehicles cease in the CBD.
Because of lack of employment, many young people especially boys took to washing vehicle for a few at parking bays in the city. These are found outside almost all supermarkets, fastfood outlets and busy office apartments.
The system will affect again, the repairing of vehicles on the streets.
Many mechanics are found along JMN Nkomo Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues, they are found on Jason Moyo on 14th and 15th Avenues.
The statement by Mpofu continues,
“Repairing, oiling, greasing or washing of motor vehicles in a Municipal car park causing dirt, nuisance or inconvenience.”
Mpofu stated that there are provisions for buildings within the CBD to provide onsite parking for their employees. This is provided for through Local Plan No. 4 (Central Area), whereby buildings with multi-floors should provide parking (Basement, Backyards and Parkade).
City Council admits that there is shortage of parking space in the CBD due to increase in population leading to increased car inflows. The City itself has not expanded for ages.
The City Council is banking on promoting safety to pedestrians as some motorists will park their cars and walk around town than move from point A to B frequently looking for parking space.
There also is hope that people will resort to shopping in local shopping centres in their Districts such as Nkulumane Complex, Entumbane Complex and suburban shopping centres such Zonkizizwe, Ascot, Bradfield, Hillside, Nketa 6 amongst others.
However, many shops closed at the complexies as business was low. There are currently no variety of shops at these shopping malls thus forcing residents to come to the CBD.
The idea by Council that motorists will abandon their vehicles to use public transport is far fetched as the public transport is failing to cope with demand.
The promotion of mass transit will cause more congestion as many people will be using public transport, which currently is a cause of concern in the city.
Areas like Hebert Chitepo from 8th Avenue right down to Fourth Avenue are no go areas for ordinary motorists. The same street on 10th and 11th Avenue is congested as well. Coupled to this, the City Council has failed to curtail illegal public transporters on Fort Street and 10th up to 12th Avenues.
The City Council should have rolled out a plan to decongest the CBD of illegal public transporters.
There also is the issue of illegal money changers who use public parking as their ‘offices’. Parking bays on L.Takawira from Hebert Chitepo up to JMN Nkomo streets have been colonised by oSiphatheleni and a motorist can barely find parking around that area.
From the City Council’s announcement, parking in the CBD will be now for those with extra money to spend as both zones will be beyond the reach of ordinary motorists. become very expensive.
Crime and congestion will increase as motorists park away from the expensive zones. These parking spaces are in the peripherals of the city where there is no safety.
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