Penang Council Thinks More Expensive Parking Equals Less Congestion, But Is That So?
A costly squeeze on drivers as MBPP raises parking rates to curb long-term parking.
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Penang motorists will now have to fork out more for public parking as the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has raised fees by 50% this month to tackle congestion in high-demand areas.
Will this work though? Hiking parking fees won’t magically reduce congestion.
If it did, KL and PJ would be traffic-free by now. What it will do is make daily life more expensive for the average Penangite while those who can afford it continue parking as they please.
Public transport is still unreliable, and yet the government keeps slapping on these “solutions” without addressing the real problem, which is over-reliance on cars due to a lack of practical alternatives.
Mayor Datuk A. Rajendran explained that some drivers leave their cars parked for 10 to 12 hours straight, reducing turnover and worsening traffic. Under the new rates, parking now costs 60 sen per half-hour (up from 40 sen) and RM1.20 per hour (previously 80 sen), while the daily rate has increased from RM6 to RM9.
However, the monthly pass remains unchanged at RM150. MBPP is also looking to introduce parking time limits in hotspots like Lebuh Chulia and Little India to further curb long-term parking.
To complement these changes, MBPP is cracking down on illegal roadside waiting and parking at five congestion-prone locations, including Jalan P. Ramlee and Jalan Burma.
The council is also working with developers to align private parking fees with public rates to encourage motorists to use available private spaces instead.
“The public is encouraged to utilise existing parking spaces in shopping centres and private buildings instead of relying entirely on public parking,” Rajendran said. He also urged residents to use public transport more frequently, including Rapid Penang buses, taxis, and e-hailing services, to help ease traffic.
Additionally, MBPP has opened a tender process for new multi-storey parking facilities along Weld Quay to increase parking availability.
What would serve as a better long-term solution to tackle congestion is to fix the public transport network with better routes, increased frequency, and cleaner, safer buses.
Tax the rakyat first and figure out the rest later is not a solution.
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