Number of vehicles handled by DSAT for illegal parking surges

The number of offenses in public parking lots increased by 36 percent 2016 year-on-year, the Transport Bureau (DSAT) informed in a statement yesterday.

According to the bureau, the number, which totals to 270 vehicles includes cars parked for over eight consecutive days, cars badly parked (occupying more than one parking space or outside the parking spaces) or in inappropriate spots (reserved or private spots). These incidents have occurred across the 41 public carpark facilities under the responsibility of the DSAT.

From the 270 vehicles found in violation of parking rules, the majority were private cars (257) and 13 were motorcycles or motorbikes.

The sanctions given to these vehicles ranged from fines (170 cases), to the removal of the vehicles from the parking facility (81 cases), or even vehicles being considered abandoned and transferred to the Finance Services Bureau (DSF) to be sold in a public auction (19 cases).

The DSAT also informed that in cooperation with the parking lots’ management companies, it will continue to send staff to oversee the use of the parking spaces and to fight illegal parking in order to allow drivers to use the available parking spots in a proper way.

The bureau also reminded that unless the vehicle owners are in possession of a monthly pass or prior written agreement established with the management company, vehicles parked for over eight consecutive days will be considered to constitute a parking offense and will be handled accordingly.

Vehicles found in situations that fail to comply with the stipulated rules will be blocked and, after a three hour period, towed to the police depot.

DSAT will then send a notification to the owner or publish advertisements in the local press in order to notify the owners. If the vehicles are not claimed within 90 days after the notification date, they will be considered abandoned. RM