By Amadou Manjang
Drivers and pedestrians alike have complained about vehicles being wrongfully parked on pavements along the Serrekunda / Westfield road, and near the markets. The pedestrians complained of drivers parking their cars on pavements reserved as pedestrian walkways, and argued that some care park in these walkways for hours, thereby affecting the smooth flow of traffic.
‘‘I think we should have parking space where shop owners and customers can park their cars,’’ Ousman Touray, a pedestrian, said. Mr. Touray said lack of parking space affects traffic flow by blocking the free movement of people and forcing some to walk on the main road.
Sana Barrow, another pedestrian also said that people should not park their cars on the pavement, arguing that the road is not wide enough to allow cars to be parked in suh places for hours.
‘‘Our roads are too narrow for it to be use as a parking space for vehicles especially at markets,’ he added.
Fatou Jobe, a vehicle owner and driver, said lack of parking space at markets affect all road users, and said the issue needs to be addressed urgently.
‘‘To address this issue is long overdue because it has always been there. I think it is time we start thinking about addressing it now, once and for all,’ she added.
Muhammed Ceesay, a shop-owner and driver, said there is no parking space for his car in front of his shop, and agreed that parking on the pavement affects traffic flow.
‘‘If there is a parking lot somewhere in the market, I will not park my car on the pavement. There is none and that is why I do not have a choice,’ he said adding that many of shop-owners park their cars on the pavement reserved for pedestrian use, forcing them to walk on the road, which in turn forces drivers to drive slowly.
