New parking bays on Reynolds Street in the Port Shepstone CBD have aggravated businessmen and motorists.

Reynolds Street has recently been upgraded and the fresh coat of tar and proper pavings for pedestrians has revitalised that area of the town.

However, motorists are having difficulties parking their vehicles along Reynolds Street.

Businessman, Ismail ‘Milo’ Asmal said they are grateful to the municipality for upgrading the street but that there are some problems.

“Since the new bays have been created, motorists are struggling to navigate their vehicles into these bays. I have personally witnessed many motorists failing to park within a bay. These people were potential customers and had to leave because they could not park their vehicles. The bays are too cramped, and its driving customers away,” said Ismail.

Asmal has measured the bays and found them to be 5.4m in length and 1.8m in width.

Measurements have also been taken along Nelson Mandela Drive, where the bays are 5.9m in length and 2.2m in width.

“Why the difference,” asks Asmal.

Motorist Vusi Kubheka from Murchison said trying to parallel park his bakkie was a ‘nightmare’.

“It is a real struggle to get into these bays. Definitely, they are smaller. If you don’t have (park assist) cameras it’s going to be a huge problem and a cost factor when we dent other vehicles. The bays need to be sorted out soon,” he said.

Ray Nkonyeni Municipality spokesperson Simon April said the parking bays are legitimate, according to the engineers.

When measurements of parking bays from Nelson Mandela Drive (in comparison to Reynolds Street) were sent to the municipality to verify the different measurements, no comment was received at the time of going to press.

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