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An argument in favour of the parking meters

Feb 15, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
I am old enough to remember when there was a decision in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s to make a number of streets in the city of Georgetown one-way streets. There was a great uproar and opposition by citizens to this move by the powers that be. An order was made to rescind the decision in part. All the two-way streets identified were eventually re-designated one-way streets. They remain so to this day.
I also recall when the GTT head office was being built in upper Brickdam to replace the aging edifice of Mc Inroy Building, Dr Cheddi Jagan in a critique described the new structure as ‘Cadillac-styled.’ Today the decision to install parking meters has in the main engendered mostly illogical bias against it. It is being opposed with the normal bias and preference which attend a number of issues to bring discipline and regulation in Guyana.
Citizens were preoccupied with other priorities and failed to assimilate the information disseminated in various forms, media or otherwise about the advent of the parking meter system. They took it in their stride without seriously addressing or questioning the areas where the meters were to be installed or the exorbitant fee charged. Mr. Editor, over the last two decades, tens of thousands of cars have been imported into Guyana and these have thousands of owners countrywide. Apart from the hinterland tracks available to all terrain vehicles, there has been no increase of paved roadways and parking space in the country and cities including the capital Georgetown. There is no carpooling of passenger space in cars coming into the city.
The cessation of the railway service has removed the single largest mass transit capability which previously existed. Everyone wants a vehicle, which is easily sourced both for convenience and as a signal of upward mobility. The minibus passenger load is limited and their ever increasing numbers occupy large spaces on the limited hard surface roadway routes. The surfeit of the vehicles vying for this limited space is quickly creating gridlock. It also extends the time of travel for a commute.
The traffic woe which necessitated the widening of the East Bank Demerara corridor from Houston to the Stadium and is now being extended to Diamond will be realised further up the road in the not too distant future. The parking meters issue has arisen because there is a sharp demand for access to a minimum of parking and travel space by a variety of vehicles. There are the owners who are prepared to park for as long as they desire either because ‘they got there first’ or that there is no cost attached as to how long they are parked.
Mr. Editor, serious thought must be given as to how and where those vehicle owners who have boycotted the parking meter positions are finding alternative parking and are getting about. Where are they parking? Are they using public transport? How urgently do we need a larger mass transit bus capability system in the city and suburbs with a revised route and scheduling network?
There must be a paying parking meter in the business sections of the city at a nominal rate for vehicles to share the limited parking space available. New businesses will have to make provision for customer parking to preclude the need for them to pay for parking in public spaces except when absolutely necessary.
Finally, Mr. Editor, with the continued rate of added vehicles on the roads the possibility of road rage erupting because of the paucity of public parking space is sure to raise its ugly head. It is imperative that tenders be invited to provide for larger mass road transit; comfortable and passenger friendly transport medium. The minibus transport is not cast in stone.
Aubrey M Alexander

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