City Hall moves to clamp down on pavement parking

…motorists warned as concern raised over damage to infrastructure

Motorists who continue to park on Georgetown’s pavements could soon find their vehicles clamped as City Hall moves to tackle a practice it says is contributing to damage to manholes across the capital. The warning came during a statutory meeting of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), where the Mayor, Alfred Mentore directed the Town Clerk to issue a public notice informing motorists to desist from parking on pavements. The council heard that the problem extends beyond vehicles simply being parked there, with some motorists also driving on the pavements. Councillors said the additional weight being placed on the structures was causing manholes to cave in. “We have people parking on the pavements… in the various constituencies, and we need to get that stopped,” the Mayor said, as he called for action to address the practice. He said motorists driving on the pavements were placing “unnecessary weight” on both the pavement and manholes. The issue prompted a call for City Hall to engage the Police Traffic Department, with one councillor suggesting that the Police be formally advised of the council’s concerns and asked to assist with addressing the problem. He subsequently called for coordination between City Hall officials and the Police so that the two agencies could collaborate on enforcement.

He made it clear that the council had not yet begun clamping vehicles. “We ain’t clamping them yet, though, but we can get the police to clamp them,” he said. However, motorists were put on notice that stronger action could follow if the practice continues. The Mayor instructed the Town Clerk to publicise City Hall’s position and remind motorists that pavements were provided for pedestrians rather than vehicles. “So, based on Madam Greene’s input, let us put a notice on our page as to what we intend to do, and that people should stop or desist from parking on these pavements,” he said. He then signalled that continued violations could result in enforcement measures. “If they continue to do it, we’ll be moving to take measures to, well, I know we could seize the vehicle, but we can at least start clamping or putting monetary measures in place.” The proposed measures would represent a move from appealing to motorists to keep vehicles off the pavements to enforcement involving City Hall and the Police. For now, the council intends to issue the public notice and pursue coordination with the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Traffic Department, but motorists have been warned that continued parking and driving on Georgetown’s pavements could ultimately result in their vehicles being clamped or other monetary measures being imposed.