Mak (second from left) and another resident showing how narrow the lane in front of their homes is, as a vehicle carefully manoeuvres through.
George Town heritage enclave’s pre-war buildings and narrow streets were designed for a slower pace of life, in an era before cars.
But as a tourist hotspot, the enclave now faces a growing challenge.
As the crowds arrive, cars choke the very lanes that once allowed for simple, unobstructed living.
Residents who have lived at the enclave for generations are now voicing their frustration.
Cars parked illegally along the road, hindering its two way traffic flow, along Lorong Stewart in George Town, Penang.( April 03, 2025 )— LIM BENG TATT/The Star
Back and side lanes, once used for daily routines and neighbourly exchanges, are now frequently blocked by parked vehicles.
Signage asking people not to park are also being ignored.
Heritage lane woes
Retiree Mak Siew Fong, 70, has lived along a small lane off Chulia Street for 50 years.
She said there had been times when parked cars blocked half the lane, making access difficult.
“There have been fires here before, just behind my house.
“We were fortunate that no cars were blocking the way at the time.
“The Fire and Rescue Department managed to get through to put out the fire before it caused serious damage,” she said.
Cars parked illegally along Lorong Stewart turn it into a one-lane street.
While her area is linked by several connecting lanes which can serve as alternate routes for emergency vehicles, Mak said those were sometimes obstructed too.
“These are narrow roads and we live here.
“People need to be more considerate.
“It would be better if people didn’t park here as they end up blocking entry to our houses,” she said.
Above: Many residents along Lorong Chulia have signage on their fences warning vehicles not to obstruct entrances, to no avail.
She added that there were paid parking spaces nearby.
Mak, who lives there with her husband, doesn’t own a car.
She said most of those who parked along the road were neighbours, so it was easy to ask them to move their vehicles in the event of an obstruction.
“Most of us have lived here for decades, so it is not hard to tell who the vehicles belong to.
“But there have been occasions when strangers park for hours without leaving any contact information.
Rajendran: Obstructions and double-parking rampant around Penang island.“It usually happens in the evening around dinner time, because of the eateries nearby.
“It is inconvenient, especially since our gates open directly onto the road.
“We don’t have fences, so when a car parks right in front, it blocks our entrance.
“Residents sometimes try to track down the owner if it is an unfamiliar vehicle, but doing so takes extra effort and time,” Mak pointed out.
Housewife Sam Lee, 65, who has lived along Toh Aka Lane for the past 60 years, said people often parked there to patronise the many cafes nearby.
“When cars are parked along the lane, it becomes risky for larger vehicles to pass, especially since the road is not straight.
“It slants and tapers in the middle, which makes manoeuvring even trickier,” she said.
Lee said while there were small pockets of space where residents could park, these were often taken up by outsiders.
What frustrates her the most is outsiders refusing to use the paid carparks nearby.
“It costs up to RM5 or so for a few hours.
Noorazrein: Report parking violations with details on Pearl: One Touch Penang app.“Surely that is cheaper than paying for summonses,” she added.
Lee also raised residents’ concerns about reckless driving.
“Some motorists speed through our lane, not realising how narrow and uneven it is.
“It is dangerous for us.”
She said installation of a speed bump might cause motorists to slow down and also discourage them from parking in the lane.
“Many people who flock to the cafes drive down our lane and park haphazardly, resulting in obstructions.”
She said the entire road could be blocked if a car was not parked right to the edge of the lane, or if it was slanted outwards.
Penang has many such residential lanes, Lee said.
“They are supposed to be peaceful and quiet but these visitors make it hard for us to enter and leave our houses.”
Adding to the congestion is a homestay located along the road.
“Vans stop to drop off guests and they block the lane while unloading the luggage,” said Lee.
“We have no choice but to wait, as it is a one-way street.
“I wish they would drop guests off at the road entrance.
“It is only a short walk and it will make things so much easier for those of us who live here,” she added.
Towing obstructing vehicles
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) enforcement director Noorazrein Noorazlan Ong said the city council would tow parked vehicles that caused obstructions.
He said this was carried out under Section 48 of Road Transport Act 1987 which deals with vehicular obstructions on roads.
“This action is carried out daily by zone patrol officers who look out for offences such as obstructions and unauthorised parking.
“For cases where vehicles are parked in narrow lanes but still allow access, the vehicle will be subject to a compound fine or wheel clamp.
“Vehicles parked in narrow lanes that obstruct emergency access, will be towed,” he said.
Noorazrein said compound fines ranged from RM50 to RM100, depending on the type of vehicle.
“The fee for unlocking the wheel clamp is RM50, while the towing fee is RM100.
“From Jan 1 to Dec 31 last year, we had clamped 8,584 vehicles, 5,414 towed and issued 440 summons.
“An average of 23 cars are clamped daily, while 15 cars are towed and summons issued to three or four cars,” he said.
He said while MBPP did not have data on whether the repeat offenders were Penang residents, there would typically be an increase of offenders during the holiday season.
“During school holidays and festive seasons, we station our officers at hotspots.
“This is when most of the cars clamped or towed involve tourists from other states,” he said.
Nevertheless, Noorazrein said the majority of offenders were locals, even during the holiday periods.
He encouraged the public to report such violations through MBPP app Pearl: One Touch Penang.
“By submitting details such as the location and photos of the incident, residents can help enforcement officers take appropriate action,” he said.
Tight squeeze
Penang Island mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said back lanes and alleys were intended to provide residents with a secondary exit in case of emergencies.
“When cars are parked too close, residents may struggle to fully open their doors or exit.
“This is why back lanes need to remain clear,” he stressed.
He said back lanes in the past were designed with sewer manholes to connect to the sewer lines, which were typically located at the back of houses.
“When maintenance is required, it is far easier if no vehicles are blocking the path,” he said.
Rajendran said back lanes were also originally much wider, typically 6m, allowing a car through even if there was a parked vehicle.
“However, due to increasing land value, most back lanes have shrunk in size.
“The issue now is that people are using these back lanes for parking, particularly in commercial areas.
“We want back lanes to remain free of vehicles, but in some areas, we do not strictly enforce this unless it is a service road or there is a complaint.
“If the road is narrow, we will tow vehicles even if they are not obstructing traffic, especially on two-way roads,” he added.
Rajendran said even in residential areas, double-parking and obstructions continued to pose significant problems.
“Many households, especially those in multistorey houses or with extended families, have multiple cars.
“Residents often park outside, blocking parts of the road.
“This problem is widespread across the island, including areas like Bayan Baru, Pulau Tikus, Tanjung Tokong and Batu Ferringhi,” he said.
Double-parking, in particular, has become a serious concern.
“Starting May 1, we will take stern action,” said Rajendran.
“The volume of vehicles has surpassed the capacity of our roads.
“Even if a car obstructs traffic for just one minute, it can block 50% of the traffic flow.
“The new enforcement will target high-traffic areas, including stretches along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, Weld Quay, Macalister Road, Jelutong and Jalan Burma,” he said.
