THE new metered parking system is killing Braamfontein, say residents and businesses who complain bitterly about having to pay R7.50 an hour for parking.
Catherine Corry, who works for a property development company, says: “We’ve been in the Braamfontein district for the past eight years, and have slowly been trying to bring a positive change by improving buildings and creating new and exciting shops to attract new customers to the area and, ultimately, contributing to revitalising the city centre.”
However, the recent introduction of the Ace Parking system was undermining their efforts, Corry says.
The system, which operates along Juta Street and the lower end of De Beer Street, has cost them office tenants. A restaurant on the corner of Juta and De Beer streets, Corry says, is also under strain because patrons find the parking system too expensive and “ineffective in providing a parking solution”.
Other tenants are also experiencing a significant reduction in foot traffic, Corry says, adding that the area’s tenants and landlords were not involved in any decision-making process or adequately informed about this new system.
“There has been no participation from our side in the development of the area. The notion that a few months ago there was free, available parking, but now there is paid parking, with no security benefits and continued illegal parking, is ludicrous,” she says.
The parking attendants are also not trained adequately to communicate the process to drivers who park on the street as drivers are taking their printed parking ticket with them instead of leaving it on their vehicles’ dashboard, which often results in parking fines.
It is also not explained to motorists that there is a time limit on parking or that they need to pay beforehand.
Ace charges R7.50 for the first hour and R3.75 for every half-hour after that. That is more expensive than parking at Sandton City, which is R7 for the first hour and then R2 thereafter, or Rosebank Mall, which charges R6 for the first hour with increments of R1 after that.
These shopping centre parking areas are monitored by security and usually covered – the public street parking offers none of these aspects, Corry says.
The parking attendants also have a bad attitude:
“(They) lounge on the public artworks down Juta Street, sometimes without their shoes on.”
There is no alternative, so if a building doesn’t have its own parking area, monthly parking can cost up to R1 350, she says.
“This system is incredibly frustrating as we cannot offer our tenants, clients or patrons any advice or solution. Before the system came into place, our own security ensured there were no hawkers or illegal parking guards hassling anyone… This is not the case anymore.
The metro police defend the system. Director of licensing, prosecutions and courts Gerrie Gerneke says: “We’ve had very few negative comments. The biggest challenge was to find parking for employees used to parking for free. That… has now been resolved.”
Phase 2 of the project was west of Rissik Street, between Anderson and Jeppe streets, which was highly successful, he says.
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