Flawed carparks driving users up the wall

The Star

a day ago

HOT, stuffy and dimly lit – these are the conditions of many multi­­­storey and basement carparks in Klang Valley brought about by poor design and upkeep.
Motorists are often annoyed by the shortcomings found at these facilities meant to be a convenience for customers and visitors.
Besides payment and customer service issues, safety concerns also top the visitors' complaints list.
Mitra Themis, 53, recalled a frustrating episode with a parking ticket machine at a hotel in Petaling Jaya.
'My parking fee was RM9 and I paid with a RM20 note. But the machine didn't give any change or a receipt.
'I went to the parking management office to complain but it was closed as it was Sunday. I was told to come back on a weekday.
'But without a receipt, I had no way of proving my claim. In the end, I gave up as it was not worth the trouble,' she said.
Many buildings have designated women-only parking bays to provide extra security for women drivers.
Mohd Shafiq Azman, 33, said he could not forget being 'trapped' in a basement carpark two years ago.
The IT executive from Cyber­jaya, Selangor, was going home after parking at a Kuala Lumpur mall to attend an event.
'Several exits were closed for maintenance and there were no notices or security guards to direct motorists inside the carpark.
'After driving in circles for nearly half an hour after paying the parking fee, the grace period to exit expired.
'I had to get another ticket from the ­management office,' he said, adding that the carpark was uncomfortably warm due to poor ventilation.
Some carparks have transitioned to using cashless payment options such as Touch'nGo or QR codes but not everyone welcomes this change.
Shah Alam resident Mohd Luqman Idham, 29, said he had been to several basement carparks that used QR codes for payments.
However, he experienced poor Internet connectivity underground that resulted in difficulties using those payment methods.
He suggested that carparks offer more payment options.
Inadequate safety is another concern for multistorey and basement carpark users, especially women motorists.
Kajang resident V. Naidu, 46, avoided buildings that did not have women-only parking zones.
'I prefer carparks that have women security guards as this makes me feel safer.'
She said she did not feel safe in poorly lit parking lots and suggested that closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV cameras) be made compulsory at carparks in busy areas.
Public awareness about ­women's safety in carparks spiked after the 2003 abduction and murder of Canny Ong, who was kidnapped from a shopping mall carpark in Bangsar.
Following the incident, some malls and public buildings introduced women-only parking zones, typically located near entrances.
Narrow ramps, entrance and exits, as well as sharp bends have also been identified as problems in indoor carparks.
'Once, my car hit the wall while going up a narrow ramp,' said Charlotte Law, 44, a property agent from Sentul, Kuala Lumpur.
'I also avoid parking at dimly lit facilities and prefer to park as near as possible to the entrance.'
Damansara resident Mohd Firdaus Sufiyan Kamal Hadany, 28, said he was dissatisfied with the lack of proper signage at some malls.
'There have been times when I had to ask the security guard for directions inside these parking facilities.
'It is also difficult to locate the carpark entrance at some malls due to lack of signage or confusing directions,' he added.
This bay reserved for parents with children is equipped with parking chocks to prevent collision.
Recommendations
Building experts and activists have offered suggestions on how the user experience in indoor carparks can be improved.
Architect Mustapha Kamal, who runs an architecture and urban design firm in Petaling Jaya, said ensuring proper ventilation was a must.
He said the ceiling must be high enough to enable proper air circulation.
According to him, this is important to prevent any stench or mould from forming inside these facilities.
'Developers and building managers may also explore using chilled water systems to cool the facilities and reduce stuffiness.'
Mustapha also emphasised the need for proper drainage to remove excess water and prevent ponding.
'Unlike outdoor carparks which have rougher flooring, the surface of indoor ones is generally more slippery,' he said.
'When wet, they may pose hazards for motorists and pedestrians,' said Mustapha.
Zac Cheong, vice-secretary for Transit Malaysia, a non-governmental organisation that advocates for better public transport, suggested the retention of cash-payment machines.
'Not everyone is tech-savvy. Some senior citizens might struggle with using apps and QR codes.'
Cheong also highlighted that some basement carpark exit gates were positioned on inclined ramps.
He said this setup increased the risk of accidents if cars were lined up too closely.
'To improve safety, gates should be placed at the bottom of the ramp, before the incline begins,' he pointed out.
Cheong also suggested that building management hire a third-party operator to manage their carparks.
Wet floors in indoor parking lots pose risks for motorists.
Facility guidelines
Many guidelines by the authorities exist for design and construction of indoor carparks.
Among them is the 2017 Carpark Planning Guideline issued by Town and Country Planning Department (PLAN­Malaysia), which outlines several requirements such as the provision of CCTV cameras, emergency buttons, and security personnel.
It also recommends that uniform lighting, with a minimum brightness of 100 lumens per square metre, be provided throughout the facility.
'To discourage speeding, speed breakers should be installed and bays must be equipped with parking chocks to prevent collision.
(Chock is a wedge or block that keeps a vehicle in place or stops it from rolling.)
'This is in addition to having signage and convex mirrors at blind spots to help motorists navigate,' the PLAN­Malaysia Carpark Planning Guideline stated.
It also outlines the minimum number of bays needed for a carpark.
The figure varies depending on the type of premises, such as commercial or residential.
In Kuala Lumpur, developers building commercial premises that fail to meet this minimum requirement are liable to a RM60,000 charge for each missing bay, payable to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
This is stipulated in the Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Carpark Planning Guideline effective June 25 last year.
Motorists risk getting their cars damaged by narrow ramps.
It also requires that at least 7% of bays in indoor carparks at commercial premises, like shopping centres, hypermarkets and departmental stores, are reserved for lone women drivers.
However, the guideline grants exceptions for commercial developments within transportation hubs such as KL Sentral, MidValley Megamall and Plaza Pantai.
Developments within these areas enjoy 50%, 35% and 30% bays respectively, with allowable reductions in parking bays without being subject to the RM60,000 charge.
The Drainage and Irrigation Department's guidelines require basement carparks to be equipped with flood mitigation measures, including floodgates, CCTV cameras to monitor the water level, and an early warning system.
A DBKL spokesperson said compliance with the DBKL guideline was mandatory and those failing to do so would be required to provide justification.
'The matter will then be reviewed at the One-Stop Centre where a decision will be made on whether a development order will be granted,' the spokesperson said.