WPC mulls new rules for vehicle parking
View(s):The Western Provincial Council (WPC) is mulling the introduction of a Parking Regulation System (PRS) to streamline the building and maintenance of vehicle parking facilities in Colombo and the suburbs, officials said.
The proposed system is a collaboration with the Urban Development Authority (UDA) and the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).
They noted that with the UDA’s programme aimed at changing the landscape of Colombo making it a modern beautiful city it has become necessary to regulate the maintenance of existing car parks as well.
D.R. Wijewardene Mawatha car park. Pic by Hasitha Kulasekera
A senior official of the UDA said that hotels hospitals, malls, supermarkets, private hospitals and other buildings in the city of Colombo and the suburbs should provide modern vehicle parking and common facilities for the people visiting these places.
The UDA is currently considering the size (dimension) of the car park according to the type of the building and ensuring the building is harmonious with the scenic beauty of the Colombo city, he disclosed.
If there is no adequate space for a vehicle parking facility, then it should be provided inside the building or in upper floor area, he said acknowledging that at present there is no law or regulation to control charging fees for vehicle parking.
However, parking is an essential facility and it needs to be provided free of charge to the people, who visit the particular building to obtain services, he said adding that this matter will be addressed in a reasonable manner following discussions with relevant stakeholders.
CMC Commissioner Badrani Jayawardena told the Business Times that the council maintains over 2000 parking areas in the city and the municipality has the authority to charge motorists for parking their vehicles.
At least 16 small and large scale car parks are being maintained in the city by the private sector and there are a large number of illegally operated vehicle parks which levy high charges for parking, she added.
The CMC has the authority under the Municipal Council ordinance and bylaws, to levy fees from motorists for parking Ms. Gunawardena said adding that its charges are reasonable as their objective is to provide facilities to vehicle owners.
She noted that over 300,000 vehicles converge into the city every day and providing parking facilities has become a great problem. The ways and means to control this heavy vehicular traffic is under consideration, she revealed.
When contacted CMC Director Engineering (Traffic Design and Road Safety) K.A.D.N. Wickramaratne told the Business Times that the council has leased out some of these vehicle parks to private companies or individuals and some persons in Colombo also run parks in their own gardens without paying taxes.
Regulations or laws should be introduced to maintain this system, he noted.
Some park owners charge Rs. 30 per hour, while others charge Rs. 40 for the first hour and Rs. 50 each for additional hours.
They charge over Rs. 400 from vehicle owners for parking vehicles for just eight hours
The large car park in front of Lake House at D.R. Wijayawardene Mawatha managed by a private company charges between Rs. 250 and Rs. 300 from motorists for parking their vehicles from 8 am to 5 pm.
Several hospitals, hotels and supermarkets in Colombo charge fees for vehicle parking and some of them have outsourced its maintenance, he disclosed.
Mr. Wickramaratne said that it is difficult to control this practice under the free economic system, unless the introduction of new regulations.
Meanwhile the Western Provincial Council will take up a motion next week moved by an opposition member to prohibit the charging of fees from motorists using car parks in supermarkets, private hospitals and various other venues in the province.
United National Party Western Provincial Councillor Niroshan Padukka told the Business Times that he presented the motion this month to the council claiming that charging a fee for vehicle parking was illegal.
He noted that providing parking and common facilities for people who visit hospital, supermarkets, etc is an obligation of such service providers.
He pointed out when the UDA and local bodies give approval for the construction of buildings, there is no provision given by such authorities to charge fees for the car parking facility from the customers.
He added that parking is a common facility and it should be provided free to the people who visit such places.
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