I noticed in town on Edward Street opposite the post office what appears to be public parking spaces that were blocked by orange cones. I counted four free spaces blocked off in this manner. Presumably to ‘reserve’ these spaces, but is this not illegal? Can I remove the cones and park there?
Ask Auntie sponsor
Auntie’s answer: It looks like you will have to find another place to park. An RCIPS spokesperson explained that the parking spaces in front of any building actually belong to that building, which means they are not public property.
The ramifications for you and any other driver looking for parking is that it is not against the law for those spots to be blocked. The use of a parking place is “completely up to the discretion of the property owner and tenants”, the spokesperson said.
If the tenants want to reserve spaces to keep them available for customers of their stores to use, they are free to do that.
The cones placed in the clearly marked parking stalls by the Trinidadian restaurant are clearly a part of the road and not the property. This would indicate that the RCIPs ‘spokesperson’ has no clue what he or she is talking about. The police should be removing these cones.
I would challenge the spokespersons opinion.
Parking downtown needs to be addressed. Likely, nothing is being done about it because the countries largest landlord does not want anything done about it.
1/ make all street parking pay parking with a 3 hour limit. Most cars parked downtown are driven by people that work downtown that won’t walk to the parking spaces provided by their employers.
2/ who are the elites that are allowed to park in the Tower Building spot? There are dozens of empty spaces every day as well as boat and truck storage that is protected by a security guard.
3/ Stop with the road closures to benefit private businesses. Again, last weekend Harbour Drive was closed to put up a bouncy castle for the 10-20 kids that attended the Museum open house… Come On!!!
It’s clear NO ONE wants to change anything downtown. Just let it die a slow painful death.
But the newsfash is… Georgetown (with the exception of the waterfront) is booming. Elgin Avenue, Shedden Road, South Sound, all doing great!
I think this is baloney. Other parking spaces in GT are specifically marked with restrictions e.g. for taxi use. This is a case of the owners/tenants wanting to keep a space for themselves, not for customers.
Nope. Not so.
I think I know what ‘cones’ you are talking about. They are more like sticks, not cones. Those spots are not parking spots and do not have white lines designating them as available as parking spots. That is probably why the sticks have been placed there.
I know about the sticks you are referring to. Those have been unofficial parking spots for years; one of the very, very few places you could park in a hurry, that most people would be too scared to park, but you would never get a ticket. Those were my spots I knew I could park if I could not find anywhere else that gave me confidence to drive my own car into town instead of get a lift from a colleague (I am a lawyer who goes to court frequently). Now they can’t be used.
When is the government going to recognise the need for parking for the general public in central George Town (including people on business errands – which is most of the people driving around town during weekdays anyway?)
Buy an old building, knock the walls in, pave the floors, put parking blocks, a hut with an attendant, and a gate. Result: a grateful public and revenue source. Or is that business locked up by the Kirkconnells with their ‘free if you browse/buy, pay if you don’t’ lot?
Buy an old building? Have we forgotten about the rotting Glass House that has been condemned and has no value whatsoever? Knock it down!
Just park on top of the damn cones. I do.
Just avoid Georgetown altogether unless you work there or are a tourist during the day. I’ve transferred all my business in to Camana Bay for this reason.
Bwahahahahahha…. my plan is working!
Another failure of past governments. No space was allocated for parking in town. I don’t mind parking my car and walking half a mile to and from to conduct business but there is no parking to even do that. Also planning permissions to build should have included decent parking. I notice some businesses are only concerned about parking for staff. Without customers you soon won’t need staff. I used to pay for parking at the center in town by Burger King, last time I tried to do that I was told that the spaces were rented out to the court house and shooed away!, no wonder all cars head to camana bay.
The system is working!
What about the requirements to provide a certain amount of spaces. Is that not for the public. I’ve seen some all reserved
So every single parking lot on the roads in George Town can be blocked with cones, unless it’s an empty lot?.
The advice given is incorrect. Some buildings are closer to public road more than others and boundaries can sometimes be found by survey markers.For example at the Waterfront Building which was the old bakery, the building was built almost on the road. Notwithstanding that Thompson closes that property off to the public so he can rent it out to tourist buses. He has no legal right to do that. You will note also on the opposit side of the road taxis and buses park on the sidewalk. this is because the CPA did not insist on the sidewalk being higher than the public road. Ironically part of this sidewalk is actually built on public road.
Hats off to the NRA. After contacting them a couple of days ago they put down double yellow lines that Thompson had previously paved over. If more suggestions were made to them I think more would get done.
It’s actually more complicated than that; planning requires a certain number of public spaces depending on building size etc. and it’s only those old buildings in town able to get away with what they do. And where did this RCIPS officer get his definition of “in front” from?