Parking problems boil over

PARKING issues in Observatory have boiled up with two large corporate citizens fingered by angry residents for contributing to clogged-up streets.

Both Woolworths Financial Services in the Old Lion Match Factory in Lower Main Road and Black River Park next to Liesbeek Parkway draw thousands of employees into Obs daily resulting in clogged up roads and a lack of parking for residents.

The Black River Park issue boiled over recently when residents from Lower Collingwood Road next to the office complex received letters from the City proposing two-hour parking restrictions for the area.

The proposal for a two-hour restriction ostensibly stems from long-standing complaints from the residents that workers at Black River Park clog up the parking space in their streets because the high charges for parking inside the office complex. The idea is that a two-hour restriction would deter the office workers from parking in the residential streets.

But the proposal has residents worried that they themselves would no longer be able to park in front of their homes.

The concerned residents convened a meeting to discuss the issue. According to a petition circulated after the meeting, they called on the City to extend the two-hour restriction to Fir, Ivy, Ash and Oak Street (and not only apply it in Lower Collingwood Road), but to exempt residents from the time limit.

An alternative proposed in the petition is to enforce paid parking in the streets, but with exemption for residents.

Local ward councillor Brett Herron, who also happens to be in charge of roads in Cape Town, was invited to the meeting, but didn’t attend. He asked the residents to be kept informed.

Johan Beaurain a resident in Collingwood Road, said the petition is being circulated. “Once that process is completed, we will hand the letter over to Councillor Brett Herron.”
Meanwhile, unhappiness over congested parking in the streets around Woolworths continues, despite various meetings between residents and the company, whose employees, according to an insider, bring in an estimated 200 cars into Observatory each day.
The problem is set to worsen when a vacant plot in Howe street, currently used for parking by many Woolworths employees, is developed into a new business park.
“People don't realise that, OK, we probably have the most employees, but there are other businesses nearby and that park here as well,”said Sedick Samodien Woolworths technical facilities manager.

Woolworths is working on a plan to introduce a shuttle service for their employees, which will operate from two train stations and Norton Street bus stop, Salt River and Observatory. The idea is to convince staff to take public transport.

They currently do have a shuttle service operating which drops employees at their homes, but that shuttle service is only for those who work the late shift. The new proposed shuttle will operate in the morning from 7am to 5pm, making about 12 trips per day between Woolworths and the Observatory and Salt River train stations.

So far, none of Woolworths’ plans seem to be improving relations with the locals.Terence Rix, a close-by resident, said: “The exact same problems still transpire. The intersection of Howe and St Michaels Street still is illegally parked in and is exceptionally dangerous.

“I understand that Howe Street can be used by the public for parking. However, it's impossible to ever come home during the day and actually park on our street. It's essentially become a one way street and often there are moments of hooter frustration between the various road users. We still have loud music blaring out of cars early in the morning as they either drive past or are parking outside”.