'Extremely hazardous': Illegally parked vehicles on pavement in Choa Chu Kang force pedestrians to walk on road

[UPDATE: June 21, 9.40am]

Responding to AsiaOne's queries, an LTA spokesperson said that it was informed of the parking issue on June 12, when a member of public called the parking enforcement hotline.

"LTA has since identified the vehicles in question and will take enforcement action and impose penalties on motorists who breach traffic rules," said the spokesperson.

In addition to the illegal parking detection cameras deployed, LTA said that it has stepped up patrols to the location and placed a standee to remind motorists that it is illegal to park or wait along the road.

Members of the public who encounter instances of illegal parking can report them to the LTA via the LifeSG or OneService applications, and the OneMotoring portal.

"We would like to remind all motorists to park responsibly in designated parking locations to prevent obstructing, inconveniencing, or endangering other road users," the spokesperson said.

A netizen has called out motorists who park their vehicles on a footpath in Choa Chu Kang, which prevent pedestrians from passing through and force them to walk on the road instead.

User Kiwis Kiwis posted photos of a lorry and a car parked, on separate occasions, along a pavement in front of Block 216, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1 on Facebook group Complaint Singapore on Tuesday (June 11).

The two-storey block houses shops and eateries, including a coffee shop with stalls that open late into the night. 

"The illegal parking on the pavement not only obstructs the way for pedestrians but also forces them to walk on the road, which is extremely hazardous," the post read.

It was a "persistent issue" that the user said has been going on for "an extended period".

The post also detailed an instance where the user saw a woman walking on the road because a parked vehicle was obstructing the footpath.

"She was nearly hit by a motorbike," the user said, adding that the incident highlighted the "imminent danger" of the problem.

"It is only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs if no action is taken."

The Facebook user claimed to have contacted the Land Transport Authority (LTA) numerous times regarding the matter, but said "the problem remains unresolved" and "poses a significant danger to pedestrians".

Some netizens advised the Facebook user to take clear pictures of the illegally parked vehicles with their licence plates visible and send them to the authorities.

One of the pictures in the post shows a CCTV parking enforcement camera behind the illegally parked vehicles, but it appears to be facing away from the stretch of pavement where they are parked.

According to the One Motoring website, Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1 was identified as a hotspot for illegal parking and CCTV cameras were deployed in April 2015 to deter potential offenders.

Parking a vehicle on the footway of a road is an offence, and can incur a fine of up to $110 for a light vehicle and $150 for a heavy vehicle.

AsiaOne has reached out to Kiwis Kiwis for more information.

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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com