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[Above: Some residents at the private estate on Macpherson Road have resorted to placing items such as cones, chairs or flower pots outside their homes to stop others parking their cars there.]
As the compounds in private estates have become smaller, households with more than one car are having problems with parking.
Parliament representative of Joo Chiat, Mr Charles Chong, said that he receives between 15 to 20 complaints and requests about the parking crunch every month, reported The Straits Times.
He said that parking has been "one of the major issues" in private estates.
The same complaints can be heard when Mr Seng Han Thong, MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, does his regular walkabouts.
Ms Sylvia Lim, MP for Aljunied GRC, explains that what used to be single landed houses are now multiple unit developments, hence the problem.
However, it is not just residents who are taking up parking spaces.
In Mr Chong's ward, the free curbside parking at Siglap Plain has been taken advantage of by commercial vehicles.
He explains that he had brought the matter up to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), however, he was told that "as long as the owners of these vehicles have paid their road taxes and are not obstructing the road, there is no legislation that forbids this."
Some have resorted to placing potted plants, chairs and other objects outside their homes to obstruct other vehicles from parking there.
While residents are tolerant of drivers who park outside their house to visit the nearby eateries or banks, they feel that these drivers should still be considerate and not block them.
Mr Seng added: "Being a good car owner requires one to practise neighbourliness and exercise some discipline over parking carefully."
As land becomes increasingly expensive, solutions such as stacked parking might be needed, suggested Ms Lee Bee Wah, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for National Development and Environment.
rchia@sph.com.sg
Lack of parking spaces frustrates residents
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(Photos: ST, Stomp) |
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