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10-09-2011, 06:35 AM
We're a rich nation of car-owners, even with COEs hovering near record highs!
The Straits Times
Sep 10, 2011
More cars = less HDB carpark space
Pace of ownership outstrips carpark-building rate; families with more than one car also up
By Christopher Tan
IF you find it tougher to park in a Housing Board estate these days, or have difficulty securing a season pass for your second car, this is why: The pace of growth in car ownership has overtaken that of HDB's carpark-building programme.
The number of HDB carpark spaces has risen from 539,800 in 2005 to 557,000 as at June this year - a 3.2per cent rise.
But the number of HDB households - the bulk of Singapore households - with a car has grown by 26.3per cent to 310,400 over the same period. And the number with more than one car has shot up by 76.5per cent to 45,900.
HDB says the average season-parking take-up rate has soared from 57per cent in 2005 to about 80per cent today. This leaves far fewer parking spaces for visitors.
What makes matters worse is that the growth in season-parking demand is not evenly distributed. A spokesman said some carparks experience higher demand than others.
The Housing Board is building more multistorey carparks where feasible, providing more parking spaces in new estates and prioritising season-parking tickets to households for their first car.
It has also stepped up use of electronic parking, especially in estates near popular new malls, such as nex in Serangoon; selectively removed free parking on Sundays and public holidays; and disallowed night parking (from 10.30pm to 7am) for visitors in high-demand carparks.
HDB now has electronic parking at 189 carparks and will extend it to another 300, the spokesman said. Where night parking is allowed, it has doubled charges to $4.
As for increasing supply, HDB is treading carefully. It is adding 1,800 parking spaces this year, an expansion of less than 1 per cent.
Observers say this has to do with the Auditor-General rapping the Housing Board in 2005 for building far more carparks than are needed.
Back then, HDB parking spaces outnumbered households with cars by 50 per cent. In fact, there were more parking spaces in HDB estates than there were cars in Singapore.
HDB said then that it had to build to meet future demand. As it turned out, it was right. But now, residents think it has taken a more conservative stance.
Warehouse manager Adrian Wang, 51, who lives in Yishun, said: 'It's always hard to find a space after 8pm on weekdays. If I come back after 11pm, I have to park two or three blocks away.'
Visitors, too, feel parking spaces in HDB estates have become more scarce.
Managing director T.C. Long, 41, said: 'Whenever I go to an HDB estate, I find it can be a real challenge to find a space, especially at night when everyone is back.'
Members of Parliament have been receiving more carpark-related feedback.
Mr Seah Kian Peng, an MP for Marine Parade GRC, said he received a flurry of complaints from residents in Serangoon when nex shopping mall opened last year.
'The novelty effect of the new mall has worn off a bit and the carpark situation is more stable now. That does not mean it's completely solved. We are still looking at plans to increase the number of lots in the area,' he said.
Joo Chiat MP Charles Chong said he heard many grouses in his previous ward (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC).
'In Pasir Ris and Sengkang, open spaces have been converted to temporary parking lots. This shows the car population has just gone beyond what the infrastructure can take.'
HDB said it was a challenge to match supply with demand.
'As land is limited, it is not tenable to keep adding carparks indefinitely. HDB needs to balance the needs of other residents and safeguard land for other uses, such as precinct facilities and recreational areas,' said a spokesman.
christan@sph.com.sg
The Straits Times
Sep 10, 2011
More cars = less HDB carpark space
Pace of ownership outstrips carpark-building rate; families with more than one car also up
By Christopher Tan
IF you find it tougher to park in a Housing Board estate these days, or have difficulty securing a season pass for your second car, this is why: The pace of growth in car ownership has overtaken that of HDB's carpark-building programme.
The number of HDB carpark spaces has risen from 539,800 in 2005 to 557,000 as at June this year - a 3.2per cent rise.
But the number of HDB households - the bulk of Singapore households - with a car has grown by 26.3per cent to 310,400 over the same period. And the number with more than one car has shot up by 76.5per cent to 45,900.
HDB says the average season-parking take-up rate has soared from 57per cent in 2005 to about 80per cent today. This leaves far fewer parking spaces for visitors.
What makes matters worse is that the growth in season-parking demand is not evenly distributed. A spokesman said some carparks experience higher demand than others.
The Housing Board is building more multistorey carparks where feasible, providing more parking spaces in new estates and prioritising season-parking tickets to households for their first car.
It has also stepped up use of electronic parking, especially in estates near popular new malls, such as nex in Serangoon; selectively removed free parking on Sundays and public holidays; and disallowed night parking (from 10.30pm to 7am) for visitors in high-demand carparks.
HDB now has electronic parking at 189 carparks and will extend it to another 300, the spokesman said. Where night parking is allowed, it has doubled charges to $4.
As for increasing supply, HDB is treading carefully. It is adding 1,800 parking spaces this year, an expansion of less than 1 per cent.
Observers say this has to do with the Auditor-General rapping the Housing Board in 2005 for building far more carparks than are needed.
Back then, HDB parking spaces outnumbered households with cars by 50 per cent. In fact, there were more parking spaces in HDB estates than there were cars in Singapore.
HDB said then that it had to build to meet future demand. As it turned out, it was right. But now, residents think it has taken a more conservative stance.
Warehouse manager Adrian Wang, 51, who lives in Yishun, said: 'It's always hard to find a space after 8pm on weekdays. If I come back after 11pm, I have to park two or three blocks away.'
Visitors, too, feel parking spaces in HDB estates have become more scarce.
Managing director T.C. Long, 41, said: 'Whenever I go to an HDB estate, I find it can be a real challenge to find a space, especially at night when everyone is back.'
Members of Parliament have been receiving more carpark-related feedback.
Mr Seah Kian Peng, an MP for Marine Parade GRC, said he received a flurry of complaints from residents in Serangoon when nex shopping mall opened last year.
'The novelty effect of the new mall has worn off a bit and the carpark situation is more stable now. That does not mean it's completely solved. We are still looking at plans to increase the number of lots in the area,' he said.
Joo Chiat MP Charles Chong said he heard many grouses in his previous ward (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC).
'In Pasir Ris and Sengkang, open spaces have been converted to temporary parking lots. This shows the car population has just gone beyond what the infrastructure can take.'
HDB said it was a challenge to match supply with demand.
'As land is limited, it is not tenable to keep adding carparks indefinitely. HDB needs to balance the needs of other residents and safeguard land for other uses, such as precinct facilities and recreational areas,' said a spokesman.
christan@sph.com.sg
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