Motorists desert CBD over high parking fees

MOTORISTS in Bulawayo have deserted parking bays in the central business district (CBD) following the introduction of US$1 parking fees per 30 minutes, which motorists feel was exorbitant.

Several motorists have resorted to parking their vehicles in the CBD after hours when municipal police have knocked off.

The situation has resulted in the Bulawayo City Council losing a lot of potential revenue.

Street Wise Informal Traders Association director Percy Mcijo said most of the motorists were now parking their vehicles outside the CBD area.

“There is less security in these areas. Council is not getting anything from its new parking policy,” Mcijo said.

“The parking money is supposed to assist service delivery because the roads in the Bulawayo CBD are bad. Some of these motorists were vendors selling wares in the CBD and they can no longer do so. Council should review its parking charges.”

Bulawayo United Residents Association chairperson Winos Dube said they would be engaging council over the parking fees.

“This should be a wake-up call that residents should be consulted first. There are serious security concerns if residents park their vehicles outside the CBD area. Thieves know that the owners of vehicles are far away, thus they can vandalise them,” Dube said.

“There is inadequate transport to ferry people to work everyday. Council is not getting much from this, it is being greedy, and we do not see why it is continuing with this expensive parking system.”

Mayor Solomon Mguni and his deputy Mlandu Ncube were not reachable for comment yesterday.