SINGAPORE: Even as the authorities look into the
idea of mechanised car parks, some analysts pointed out the
challenges - such as maintenance and costs - with such a
system.
Instead, they suggested more innovative ideas, including creating a
private market for parking spaces and allocating different zones
for vehicles of different sizes.
National University of Singapore transport expert Lee Der Horng
noted that it is "very common" in some cities in the United States
to group cars of similar sizes together.
Said Associate Professor Lee: "So the smaller cars are parked in
the same zone, and it's the same for the sports utility vehicles
(SUVs), for instance."
Nanyang Technological University transport economist Michael Li has
a more radical suggestion: Allocate each household with a car park
lot and allow those who do not own any vehicles to "rent" out their
lots to others, thus creating a market which would enable demand
and supply to balance out.
According to the Ministry of National Development, six in 10
Housing and Development Board (HDB) households do not own cars.
About a third own one car, while 5 per cent own two or more.
The transport analysts pointed out that the cheap HDB parking fees
here would escalate the carpark crunch in the years to come.
In Taipei, for instance, motorists have to pay a flat fee of as
much as S$200,000 for one parking lot, said Assoc Prof Lee.
He added that policymakers should think about a "market-based"
solution - in which parking fees will have to be higher - for
housing estates that face severe car park shortage.
Last Friday, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan wrote on
his blog that, while new estates will come with adequate car parks,
new solutions are needed in the older HDB estates "where there is
little space to add new lots".
Mr Khaw has asked the HDB to look into mechanised parking systems
but he noted there are "implementation issues" to be worked
through.
HDB residents who spoke to TODAY generally welcomed the idea - as
long as the system is thoroughly tested and properly
maintained.
Some suggested a policy which require residents to secure a parking
lot before they buy a vehicle - a suggestion mooted last year in
this newspaper in a column by consultant Richard Hartung.
Calling for a balloting system for HDB households who wish to own
more than one car, IT consultant Brandon Tan, 40, said: "HDB
carparks are supposed to be for the middle-class masses ... If
people want a second or third car but fail to win the ballot, then
they should look for alternative parking solutions." -
TODAY
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they imported so many people creating so much problems.