By MP for Hougang SMC, Png Eng Huat
[Delivered in Committee of Supply on 10 March 2015]
Sir,
Many open car parks have large trees scattered around the perimeter to provide shade. While some trees have a sizeable spread offering good shade, others produce saps and fruits that are not suitable for used in our car parks.
In some car parks in Hougang, there are mature trees that produce small, round and hardy fruits which pose serious safety concerns for residents. On some days, such fruits can be scattered over a wide area and on the steps and walkways leading to the car park.
These fruits can cause tiny dents on parked vehicles as well as some discomfort if they were to land on the people standing in the car park. More importantly, someone can slip on one these hardy fruits and sustain serious injuries as a result. The real danger comes at night as the areas around such trees are dim due to the spread of the trees. Such small fruits can be hard to spot at night especially for the elderly.
In the design and upgrading of open car parks, I urge HDB to work closely with NParks to plant trees that do not pose such safety concerns for residents living in the area. Although regular maintenance can mitigate the safety concerns of such car parks, there is only so much a cleaner can do.
As we are an ageing society, everything we design or implement must be elderly friendly to begin with.