New parking by-laws for congested Sheppie CBD
Frustrated motorists and businessmen who were part of a recent consultative meeting said motorists who flouted parking by-laws were making the roads impassable.
Those visiting the Port Shepstone CBD arguably spend more time driving around the block than they do shopping because of the chronic lack of parking.
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This perennial problem has a negative effect on businesses, and is also very off-putting for potential investors, leading Ray Nkonyeni Municipality (RNM) to take action by introducing new parking by-laws.
Frustrated motorists and businessmen who were part of a recent consultative meeting said motorists who flouted parking by-laws were making the roads impassable, making life particularly difficult for those in the emergency services or medical fields as they were often parked in by these motorists.
“Not only are we losing business, we are also directly affected as we can hardly move around the CBD,” said one businessman.
Nelson Mandela Drive and Connor Street were highlighted as major problem areas.
Law enforcement superintendent Sifiso Ngcaku acknowledged that as the Port Shepstone area was burgeoning, the municipality needed to regulate parking.
The new by-laws, which apply throughout the entire Ray Nkonyeni Municipality, prohibit, among other activities, the following:
*Washing of vehicles in a parking ground, parking bay or on a public road without a permit;
*Parking mechanically defective vehicles for more that seven days in a parking ground or space;
*Dropping off passengers in places not marked for drop-offs;
*Parking at a bus stop;
*Parking in a loading zone between 7am and 6pm from Monday to Saturday and 7am and 2pm on Sundays, except on public holidays;
*Parking on a traffic island
New by-laws aimed at regulating activities at taxi ranks will include prohibiting the servicing and washing of taxis at the rank.
People causing a nuisance or disturbance at a taxi rank may be moved from a queue, taxi rank or the vicinity of the taxi rank by law enforcement officers.
Head of public safety, Sbusiso Nzimade said hefty fines will be imposed on motorists who ignore the new by-laws, and vehicles parked for more than the time period stipulated in the by-laws or found to be obstructing traffic would face being clamped and impounded.
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