GEORGE TOWN: Motorists on Penang Island have been urged to top-up the balance in their Penang Smart Parking app due to the 50% hike in parking fees from Monday (March 3).
Under the new rates, parking fees will be increased from RM0.40 to RM0.60 every half an hour, with the daily parking rate increased from RM6 to RM9, while the monthly pass remains at RM150.
Penang Island City Council (MBPP) mayor Datuk A. Rajendran said the decision was made to prevent long-term parking that takes up limited public parking spaces.
"There are motorists who park their vehicles for 10 to 12 hours straight, making it difficult for others to find parking space. He said a limited parking time in busy areas was also being mulled.
He said MBPP was working with developers to ensure private parking facilities adopt a similar fee structure to the council.
"MBPP has initiated an open tender process to develop a multi-storey parking facility along Weld Quay for more parking spaces.
"Other measures to ease congestion in the city are in the cards to create a much more organised parking system," Rajendran added.
The last parking fee increase was in 2014, when 30-minute rates were increased from 30 cents to 40 cents. The rates then were the same since the 1990s.
