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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1978
BILL TO CONTROL CAR PARKING
IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES GAZETTED
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A BILL PROPOSING TO GIVE THE HOUSING AUTHORITY RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING AND MANAGING CAR PARKS IN ITS ESTATES IS PUBLISHED
IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE TODAY.
THE BILL ALSO PROPOSES TO GIVE THE AUTHORITY POWERS TO CONTROL CAR PARKING ON SOME ESTATE ROADS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID UNAUTHORISED PARKING OF VEHICLES IN PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES IS A LONGSTANDING PROBLEM. THE POLICY OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, HE SAID, IS TO REGULATE AND CHARGE FOR PARKING IN STREETS, CONCOURSES OR PARKING SPACES MARKED OUT FOR THIS PURPOSE. IN SOME ESTATES, RENTED PARKING SPACES ARE PROVIDED IN SIDE STREETS AS WELL AS IN CAR PARKS.
+HOWEVER, STREETS IN MOST ESTATES, ESPECIALLY THE OLDER ONES, ARE THROUGH ROADS WHERE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REGULATING ON-STREET PARKING LIES WITH THE COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, AND THE AUTHORITY FOR ENFORCING THE FIXED PENALTY ORDINANCE LIES WITH POLICE OFFICERS AND TRAFFIC WARDENS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
HE ADDED: +AS WELL AS THE NUISANCE CAUSED TO RESIDENTS FROM INDISCRIMINATE PARKING OF VEHICLES, PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT, MORE IMPORTANT IS THE DIFFICULTY OF UNAUTHORISED PARKED VEHICLES PREVENTING VEHICLES SUCH AS AMBULANCES AND FIRE ENGINES REACHING AN EMERGENCY QUICKLY.+
THE BILL WOULD EMPOWER THE HOUSING AUTHORITY TO DESIGNATE CERTAIN HOUSING ESTATE ROADS AS +RESTRICTED+ ROADS, AND ENTRY TO THESE WOULD BE CONTROLLED.
THE AUTHORITY WOULD ALSO BE EMPOWERED TO PROVIDE CAR PARKS IN ESTATES AND PARKING PLACES ON RESTRICTED ROADS FOR VEHICLES OWNED OR USED BY PEOPLE WITH PERMISSION TO ENTER AND PARK ON RESTRICTED ROADS.
IT WOULD BE ABLE TO CHARGE FEES FOR PARKING, TO IMPOUND OR REMOVE AND DETAIN VEHICLES ILLEGALLY PARKED ON ESTATE ROADS CR IN CAR PARKS, TO CHARGE FEES FOR RELEASING THESE VEHICLES AND TO DISPOSE OF DETAINED VEHICLES NOT CLAIMED.
THE SPOKESMAN EMPHASISED THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY WOULD NOT HAVE POWER TO DEAL WITH TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND OTHER TRAFFIC OFFENCES IN ESTATES THESE DUTIES REMAIN WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.
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