No disc, no entry

It is that time of the year when quiet little towns erupt into buzzing, tourist packed destinations.

For locals, this means that you will be faced with the struggles of finding a parking spot and queues in the shopping centres, while the lobsters (bright red, burnt Gautengers) take over the Dophin Coast for the next two weeks.

The eThekwini authorities have to deal with congestion problems at a number of beaches, especially at Umdloti and Westbrook where residential roads that end in a cul-de-sac.

This means that once the public parking is full, no more cars are allowed in.

It is non-negotiable that the emergency services have to be able to access the beaches, in case someone needs them, therefore congestion has to be kept to an absolute minimum, says Metro councillor Geoff Pullan.

“Together with residents, we have wracked our brains to come up with a system that allows everyone to have a piece of the pie.”

The access discs seem to enable residents to get to their homes, but does not entitle them to a parking at the beach, as this is a public area and works on a first come, first served basis.

Metro police will be stationed at the traffic circle in Umdloti and will restrict access, to ensure that cars can only enter if a parking bay is available.

“The closure usually occurs on a few days only, December 16, 26 and 31 and January 1 and 2 possibly,” said Pullan.

In Westbrook, the access disc system will also be used and depending on the congestion level, the restaurant on the beach may close during lunch.

The possibility of road closures has not been well received in Umdloti, as it excludes people from the shops (convenience store, pharmacy, butchery, hardware and bottle store amongst others).

“To try and increase the parking, we have made an arrangement with the owners of the adjacent sugar cane fields,” said Pullan.

“Parking is available on a cleared portion of cane field, and beach goers can then walk down to the beach and the shops.”

Umdloti discs are available from Umdloti Hardware and the Westbrook Beach discs from 82 North Beach Road.

Residents are required to supply their licence plate number, a utility bill, drivers licence, ID and their names to collect their free disc.