PARKING PROBLEM IN ANG MO KIO (Steps to alleviate)

Mr S. Chandra Das asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board has any immediate plans to alleviate the acute parking problems for both cars and lorries in HDB estates like Ang Mo Kio.

Mr Lee Yock Suan (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, the parking problem in Ang Mo Kio is a relatively recent one. Until two or three years ago, HDB residents have generally enjoyed adequate parking facilities. Since 1979, the number of heavy and light goods vehicles in Singapore has increased by 77%. The sharp increase of goods vehicles is the main factor swelling the demand for parking space in HDB estates. This is because more and more goods vehicles owned by businesses are driven home by employees after work and parked in HDB estates where the majority of them live. As a result, HDB residents who own their vehicles have to compete for parking space with residents who do not own the vehicles they drive.

The HDB's surveys show that there are 17,400 light vehicles in Ang Mo Kio. About 71% or 12,300 are cars while the rest are light goods vehicles. The majority of goods vehicles are driven but not owned by residents. The present number of 16,200 car park lots in Ang Mo Kio would have been more than sufficient to cater for the cars had there not been so many goods vehicles.

The HDB could not have anticipated the steep increase in demand for parking by goods vehicles when the plan for Ang Mo Kio was drawn up. It is not realistic for residents to expect the HDB to solve any parking problems in housing estates immediately when there is an increase in the number of vehicles. In some of the built-up estates, there may be insufficient land for additional parking lots. The only solution in such estates is to build multistorey car parks. But multi-storey car parks are very costly. To fully recover the construction and maintenance costs of such car parks, the HDB will have to increase the season parking fee from $15 to $164 per month for such car parks.

Fortunately, Ang Mo Kio does not face the problem of insufficient space. The HDB will build more surface car parks there. A survey completed in October 1981 revealed an overall shortage of 1,200 car park lots. The HDB has begun construction on 1,246 off-street car park lots in various parts of Ang Mo Kio, of which 672 will be completed by the end of this year. The balance will be ready by March 1983. The HDB has also introduced 156 kerbside parking lots along Street 44 and 85 lots along Street 22.

To relieve the shortage of lorry park lots, the HDB has provided 146 kerbside lots in industrial parks at Ang Mo Kio and another 19 lots along Street 12. These lots were completed between August and November 1982. Another 94 lorry park lots will be introduced in Ang Mo Kio Neighbourhood Ill by December 1982 and 15 at Industrial Park 11 by March 1983.

Meanwhile, a long-term solution to the parking problems of goods vehicles is under study. The URA is conducting an island-wide survey to assess the extent of the problem. The results of this survey, together with studies conducted by an Inter-Departmental Committee comprising the URA, Traffic Police, Registry of Vehicles and Public Works Department, will form the basis for the formulation of a comprehensive island-wide parking policy.