Parking spaces allocated in Fort Street
By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
~~Adz:Left~~BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN an effort to eradicate double parking and other related indiscriminate practices, the Police Traffic Department has allocated 14 parking spaces in Fort Street.
On Sunday, members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force Traffic Department were in the Fort Street area making markings on the road, which, according to head of the Department, Inspector Venetta Wyatt, are to “assist with parking on Fort Street”.
Motorists frequenting the area as of Monday morning were greeted with 14 clearly defined numbered parking slots for persons wishing to park their vehicles. The slots are on the eastern side of the road, which is in keeping with the traffic law that prohibits persons from parking there between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. for more than half of an hour.
In an interview with SKNVibes, Inspector Wyatt explained that the Traffic Department has noted that while there are parking restrictions on Fort Street, there are those who see it fit to park without regard for others. This measure, she explained, is in an effort to bring some order to the Fort Street parking situation.
“We have allocated 14 spaces so that 14 persons can park at any given time for 30-minute intervals. These boxes are measured 18’x 6’, outlined in white and are numbered. By doing this, we are looking out for the public and we are ensuring that people can park there. It was not done because of an outcry of the public, but it’s just to enhance the area…it’s really for the public to get the opportunity to make better use of the parking spaces.”
The Inspector is asking members of the public to exercise thoughtfulness and utilise the allotted spaces as they were designed to be used. She also gave a gentle reminder of the parking restrictions on Fort Street and admonished all to abide by them.
“We are asking persons to be considerate and park in the boxes provided. We hope that the public would be satisfied. The previous parking restrictions are still in place, which are that between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., persons can park on the eastern side of the road for a maximum of 30 minutes at a time, and on the on the western side of the road parking is prohibited. We however would make exceptions for businesses which would have vehicles delivering goods there.”
The Inspector explained that on Sunday, August 17, members of the Traffic Department would be on the road again marking defined parking areas at the lower portion of Fort Street. On that portion of the road, a special parking space will be allotted for motorbikes. Wyatt said four to five motorbikes would be able to park within this area.
Speaking to the issue of the mounting of parking meters, which the public has been asking for for some time now, Inspector Wyatt said, “I believe parking meters will come in time but, in the meantime, we are asking persons to abide by the rules”.
