WEDNESDAY-5TH DECEMBER 2007-MINI BUSES CANNOT OCCUPY PUBLIC PARKING AREAS

Mini buses cannot occupy public parking areas
Minibuses and other public transports are not allowed to wait for passengers at public parking areas, an officer from the Kota Kinabalu City Hall said yesterday. They are also not allowed to park and wait for customers at bus stops in the state capital, City Hall’s Public Complaint Unit head Nolin Mojinun said. He was responding to a complaint by a motorist about minibuses waiting for passengers at the parking area opposite the Milimewa Superstore in the city. Jusli, a bank officer who works at Jalan Pantai, said the minibuses have taken up precious parking lots in the car park leaving motorists who really need them frustrated. “Sometimes it takes about an hour just to get a parking space in the city and the situation is made worse by these minibuses which take up the lots which are supposed to be used for parking,” he said. According to Jusli, the minibuses occupy the parking lots closest to the main road and there are usually more than six of these public transports waiting for passengers there. The minibuses are there from early morning, he said and urged the relevant authorities to do something about the problem. To my understanding the area is a parking area, not a bus terminal so why are the minibuses allowed to conduct their business there?” he said. - According to Nolin, City Hall is aware of the matter and is taking action against minibus drivers found to have done so. “For public information, it is illegal for minibuses to park their vehicles at the area. It is also an offence for them to wait or pick up passengers there,” Nolin said. “That is why, City Hall has its enforcement unit patrolling parking areas as well as bus stops in the City, especially those near Hotel ShangriLa’s, at the back of the State Library and also at the Cathay bus station during peak hours,” she said.