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Kuala Lumpur, like most of South-East Asia, is safe but slow to drive around. The roads are well-maintained, fuel stops appear at regular intervals and road signs are clear and legible. However, slow traffic is rampant – mainly due to frequent traffic jams and haphazard parking. Read about parking problems in Kuala Lumpur.

Parking problems in Kuala Lumpur

Parking happens anywhere and everywhere in Kuala Lumpur. In popular commercial areas, a system of paid parking prevails. In big car parks, (such as supermarkets), parking is charged on an hourly basis. However, spots in these parking lots are hard to find.

Parking problems in Kuala Lumpur increase in the popularity of a locality. Maneuvering through traffic is tiresome enough without the added struggle of finding parking in a bustling crowd. Due to the lack of parking spaces, cars is double parked and in some cases even triple parked. Parked vehicles are found in unconventional spots and hinder the smooth movement of traffic.

Motorcyclists make it arduous to drive;  they zip through the tiniest of spaces. Smaller parking bays have emerged to accommodate all the automobiles of the rising population. It becomes difficult to navigate the car into the parking space. Getting in and out of the vehicle is also laborious.

A daily waste of time

According to a research conducted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), people in Kuala Lumpur spend 25 minutes every day searching for parking. A person spends an average of 30 minutes looking for parking in South-East Asia. The minimum time spent in parking is 19 minutes in Singapore and the maximum time spent on parking is 45 minutes in Hanoi. The parking situation in Kuala Lumpur is similar to that of Bangkok. Both are Tier 2 cities.

Cluttered parking leads to several problems-

1. Decreased productivity – An individual spending time looking for parking eats into their productive time. Low productivity over a prolonged period, ultimately, takes a toll on the economy’s growth.
2. Mishaps – Sending human beings to reserve parking spots before the vehicle arrives in order to save time spent on searching for parking has become a new trend. This practice is not safe for both parties. News reports about fatal human parking incidents frequently emerge.
3. Abrupt halts – It is often found that sudden halting of vehicles (mostly cabs or private vehicles) in search of either a parking spot or even to drop people off has been the cause to many mishaps that could have otherwise been avoided. At the least, they lead to fuming motorists who find such activities highly inconvenient.
4. Traffic jams – Inconsiderate parking of vehicles in a haphazard manner has led to the choking of roads leaving very little space for the traffic to move smoothly. Even the widest of roads have failed to stand this test. Due to such illegal parking, traffic congestions are increasing with each passing day.

Also Read: The Real Facts Of Traffic Jam and Parking Issues In Kuala Lumpur

Possible Parking solutions

1. Share – Carpooling is an excellent and feasible solution to the parking problem of Kuala Lumpur. Individuals that have similar destinations can share a ride to the said destination. If applied on a large-scale, the number of available parking spaces will increase. Spending less time and effort on parking opens up more productive opportunities.
2. Public transport – Taking into account the increasing traffic and parking trouble, the Malaysian authorities have invested in the improvement of public transport services. However, not many people have shifted from private to public transport. Various mobile applications offer taxi services.There is a share option for this service. Making use of share taxis will decrease pollution, traffic and the parking menace in Kuala Lumpur. In Malaysia, having multiple fancy cars is a symbol of status and position. Upon breaking the stigma, the usage of public transport services will increase.

Residents and tourists of Kuala Lumpur spend an inconsiderate amount of time looking for parking spots. With smart parking solutions, the city can effectively solve the entirety of this problem.