Business owners worried over parking bay hoggers

BUSINESS owners around Jalan Geroda in Johor Baru are worried that the lack of parking space will cause them to lose more customers in the long run.

They said the area in front of Larkin Bus Terminal had become a convenient parking spot for bus passengers at the terminal.

Restaurant owner Johari Jaffar, 52, said some vehicles were parked in the bays for weeks.

“I took over this restaurant from a friend, who could no longer bear the burden of losing customers because of the parking problem here.

“He operated the shop for only four months before deciding to relocate to another place.

“It has been about five months since I took over and I can see how bad the situation is.”

Johari said that sometimes he had to place objects like water bottles or chairs at the few parking bays in front of his shop to reserve them for customers.

“If I do not do that, all of the parking bays will be occupied by people who will go away for a few days.

“The majority of the people parking here work in Singapore and catch the bus from here.

“There are also those boarding buses to get to other destinations, who leave their cars here for days or weeks and even up to a month,” he said.

Barista Taufik Baharuddin, 21, said many cafe customers had complained to him about the parking problem.

“Most of my customers resort to double-parking when stopping by for a drink, as it is very difficult to find an available bay.

“I also face the same problem, so I park far away from the cafe.

“Sometimes, my colleague gives me a ride on his motorcycle to the cafe,” he said, adding that vehicles were also parked at the side of the main road.

“Sometimes, the cars are left there for hours.

“It is very dangerous and I have almost crashed into them a few times,” he added.

Restaurant owner Omar Abdullah, 57, parks his car at the shops’ back alley on most days.

“My biggest concern are the vehicles parked at the junction near the main road.

“I find it very irresponsible and dangerous for people to park there, even for just a short time.

“I hope Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) will look into the matter to avoid any unwanted incidents.

“I also hope that a time limit is implemented for parking here because if this continues, businesses will continue to suffer,” said Omar.

An MBJB spokesperson told StarMetro that the matter would be looked into to ensure public safety.