Dear Editor,
While I must commend the relevant authorities for designating parking areas on some of our busiest Georgetown streets, I will also criticize these same officers for a lack of consistency and clarity in the methods used to identify parking/no parking areas.
Parking areas on Main Street are identified by a white line parallel to the centre line of the road painted approximately 2m from the edge of pavement. Between this line and the edge of pavement there are areas of no parking identified by large yellow ‘No Stopping’ warnings painted between the edge of the road and the white line.
Supplementing these pavement markings are pole mounted ‘No Parking’ signs erected at the edge of pavement. This arrangement seems to work with no vehicles parked in identified ‘No Stopping’ areas while vehicles parallel park between the white line and edge of pavement in areas that are not identified as ‘No Stopping.’ I suspect security guards assigned to State House are somewhat responsible for parking discipline in the area.
Now proceed down Robb Street between Wellington and Camp Streets. There is a white line painted parallel to the centre line of the road approximately 3m from the edge of pavement. Between this line and the road centre line are continuous ‘No Diagonal Parking’ pavement markings in yellow. There are pole mounted ‘No Diagonal Parking’ signs erected. For the most part vehicles are parallel parked between the white line and edge of the pavement.
Between King and Wellington Streets there is no white line; however there are ‘No Diagonal Parking’ pavement markings in yellow approximately 4m from the edge of the pavement. There are also pole mounted ‘No Diagonal Parking’ signs erected.
For the most part vehicles are parallel parked between the ‘No Parking’ pavement markings and the edge of the pavement. The exception is in front of Freedom House which seems to have freedom to diagonally park in spite of the ‘No Diagonal Parking’ pavement markings directly in front of the building.
On Carmichael Street there is a variety of markings. On the northbound lane between Middle and New Garden Streets there are continuous yellow ‘No Stopping’ pavement markings at the edge of the pavement on both sides of the road. There is also one pole mounted sign with the same markings. No vehicles were observed parked in this area, probably because of action by security guards assigned to State House.
Between New Garden and Lamaha Streets on the west side of the northbound lane there are continuous white ‘No Parking’ pavement markings at the edge of the pavement. There are pole mounted ‘No Parking’ signs erected. In spite of these warnings vehicles parallel park on the parapet between the ‘No Parking’ pavement markings and the edge of the pavement.
On the east side of the northbound lane there are continuous ‘No Diagonal Parking’ pavement markings at the edge of the pavement. Vehicles parallel park on the parapet between the ‘No Diagonal Parking’ pavement markings and the edge of the pavement. There are no pole mounted signs.
I can assure you there are additional variations to the above warnings that can be seen which confuse the public about where and how to park. Come on Commissioner, decide on one or two methods then advise the public how to park their vehicles where pavement markings and pole mounted signs are present.
Yours faithfully,
Edward Gonsalves
