By MP for Aljunied GRC, Muhamad Faisal bin Abdul Manap
[Delivered in Committee of Supply on 11 March 2015]
Mdm, in a response to my PQ in January 2015, MND mentioned that a passenger van above 1,800kg in unladen weight would not be allowed to park at a residential carpark administered by HDB. Minister also added that HDB exercised flexibility and have allowed some drivers to use the residential carpark if the said van above 1,800kh in unladen weight can fit within a standard car lot and does not cause obstruction or endanger other users of the carpark.
In doing so, there may be lack of consistency in administering season parking policies for passenger vans. I understand that there are other types of class 3 vehicles, apart from passenger van that exceed the unladen weight of 1,800kg but continue to utilise residential carparks without any form of restriction or prohibition. I am of the view that as long as long as the passenger van could fit within the standard car lot, regardless of its unladen weight it should be allowed to park at residential carparks. This is the first issue.
A second related issue is this. Passenger vans with unladen weight above 1,800kg that have been granted permission to park at HDB residential carpark are required to pay a fee equivalent to that imposed on a vehicle parked at a heavy vehicle carpark.
I would like to suggest that HDB work towards adopting a standardized measure in dealing with the aforementioned issues. First, to allow all Class 3 passenger vans to park at any HDB residential carpark as long as it could fit within the standard car lot. Second, to apply the parking rates in accordance to the carpark ascribed to the vehicle. These two changes, if made, will go a long way in streamlining administrative procedures and lightening the costs for self-employed Singaporeans with vans at their disposal for the purposes of their livelihood.