Smart City Solutions (SCS) yesterday launched its first meter on Regent Street however, citizens will not be required to pay for the service until January 7.
SCS Global Head of Business Development Amir Oren and SCS Global Head of Operations Simon Mosheshvili with Town Clerk Royston King and M&CC representatives gathered yesterday outside City Hall where the first meter was commissioned.
Expressing his gratitude to the company for choosing George-town for its investment, King welcomed the “bold initiative” which will be official launched next year. King explained that for the next two weeks, dubbed as the introductory weeks, workers from the company will be manning the 157 meters that will be placed around the city covering approximately 3,200 parking spaces to ensure that citizens are properly sensitized.
Additionally, King said, “This project has utilities in three areas. We are looking at the environment and sustainability, infrastructural development and city economics.” He also pointed out that the monies that are garnered from the project will be used to fund projects such as the upgrading of roads and sidewalks, the development of cycling lanes and to introduce and install a city transit system that will target senior citizens and children, travelling not only in, but also outside the city.
Oren also explained that within the two weeks all the infrastructural works will be completed to ensure that there is a smooth launch of the meters next year. “We want to give people time to enjoy the holidays,” he said.
In relation to concerns about parking meters being vandalized, Oren explained that they are equipped to set off an alarm if they sustain any major impact and there will also be wardens on patrol. He said the meters have been placed in cities more dangerous and safer than Georgetown and are built to last. “We are here and prepared for security and vandalism,” Oren said.
King added that there will be about 60 wardens along with 25 constabulary workers manning the roads to ensure that the rules are adhered to and no one tampers with the meters.
Over the past two months, the company had started demarcating the areas where the meters would be placed, and had installed supporting infrastructure. Signs were mounted on steel pipes indicating the times when they would be operational.
The company has delineated spaces to eventually install an estimated 400 parking meters in the central business district of Georgetown. The M&CC will collect 20% of the gross income annually after the meters become operational.
The project is divided into two phases. The first phase expected to see the installation of 157 meters to cover 3,237 spaces, while in the second phase, expected to be implemented in the first three months of 2017, an estimated additional 163 meters will be installed to cover another 4,000 spaces.
The meters would be operational from Monday to Saturday, from 7 am to 7 pm.
The rate for the parking meters is $50 for 15 minutes and minutes will be sold via prepaid cards. It was stated that there will be no refund if a person spends less than the time purchased. Additionally, Oren also explained that they will be exploring the options of bringing meters that can use cash. However, they will be placed in “safer” areas, he said.
SCS was contracted by the M&CC to install parking meters around the city to aid in reducing traffic congestion, and as a means of generating revenue for the city council.
Controversy arose when the signing of the parking meter contract was made public. Critics had said that secrecy surrounded the deal and that it had not been publicly tendered. Concerns were also raised about the cost to citizens. Initially, it was announced that the rate per hour would have been $500.
Subsequent to the widespread criticism, President David Granger ordered that the contract be reviewed. A review done by the Ministry of Finance severely criticised it, saying that procurement rules might have been transgressed, while a review by the Attorney General’s Chambers pointed out that the terms highly favoured the contractor.
The reviews, however, did not find the contract to be illegal, and the central government only recommended that the city renegotiate the contract after seeking the advice of an accountant.
In October, a majority of city councillors voted to approve amendments to the contract, including a lower toll, as well as the reduction of the length of the contract from 49 years to 20 years.
At the statutory meeting of December 13, councillors voted in favour of the bylaws which will govern the specifics of parking within the city’s boundaries, inclusive of metered parking. The bylaws were drafted after the city’s administration and SCS signed a contract for the parking meters.
