Parallel parking will soon be implemented on Camp Street as the Guyana Police Force Traffic Department continues its efforts to ease congestion throughout the city.
Congestion on Camp Street between Middle and Quamina streets, which had been confined to school drop off and pick up hours because of the situation of St Margaret’s Primary, quadrupled just over two years ago when the Guyana Revenue Authority moved to the former Clico building on the opposite side of that block. There was also no respite during the day until the end of business hours.
No parking signs directly in front of the GRA are routinely ignored and there is seldom any traffic officer there enforcing them. Moves by the GRA to set up parking sites in Waterloo Streets for customers failed miserably, as no one used them. A further attempt was made with a parking lot built at Lamaha Street, which to date remains mostly unoccupied.
Traffic Chief Ian Amsterdam said yesterday that parallel parking will be implemented on certain parts of Camp Street. He indicated that these will include the eastern side between the no parking zone and Middle Street, on the western side between GRA and Quamina Street.
He also said that other strategies will be implemented such as the tweaking of traffic lights, more usage of signs, and that traffic police will be stationed on Camp Street from 8 am to 4 pm on business days.
In addition to Camp Street, Amsterdam said there are plans to implement the new system on Water Street, Wellington Street and some cross streets.
He addressed the issue of the Bourda Market area being clogged up with drivers shopping from their vehicles. He intends to stamp this out and said officers will be posted around North Road and Robb Street to enforce this.
Amsterdam hopes that these moves will see people utilizing parking lots, such as the GRA facility on Lamaha Street. When a lack of security was cited, Amsterdam pointed out that when the parking lot was first built security was provided but was removed because of the lack of usage of the facility.
Parallel parking in the city began on Regent and Robb streets recently, two of the main streets in the central business district. The new parking system was blasted by drivers who park on the two streets, who said the move was counterproductive as it leaves less space for parking.
