Using of loading and unloading bays by commercial vehicles.

I have a sustainable construction company, and I do a lot of renovations for HDB Flats. As it is often hard for a private company to compete, I've tried ways to retain my staff by hiring what is necessary and offer very competitive rates to keep my company alive.

As contractors constantly carry heavy equipment up and down to the customer's site, the loading and unloading bays are very important to us and having a fine for vehicles who abuse it sounds logical. As there are no other parking available except the handicap parking lots, refuse bin areas and the multi-storied carparks, with a tall commercial vehicle, a contractor usually have to use the loading and unloading bay, or else he would have to double park illegally on the side of the roads to block traffic. For an owner with a tall commercial vehicle, using the multi-storey carparks is not an option.

Over the years, I've done many jobs all over Singapore, and I do not encounter any problems using the loading and unloading bays for loading and unloading heavy equipment. However in Toa Payoh, the parking attendants are constantly giving parking violations to people who load and unload at the loading and unloading bays. 

I personally have received 3 parking violations over the past 2 years and as in my case, I have been doing renovation jobs and transporting paint and timber, I had no choice but to use the loading and unloading bays. I was glad that HDB waived the parking violation fines on twice. Although I had valid reasons for using the loading and unloading bays at all times as I have no choice. On many occassions, the loading and unloading bays that I used were much further away then I preferred but I still decided to not double park and block traffic.

I've written to appeal and called HDB to explain the guidelines of how to avoid the parking violations and I am disappointed at the standard bureaucratic attitudes of simply not caring and adhering to guidelines. The response I got to avoid parking violations was to place a person by the vehicle during loading and unloading, but I feel that this would slow down my loading and unloading and it would be impossible for me to carry some of the heavy equipment alone if I left my worker at the commercial vehicle. If I had a worker that could wait for me, would it not be more convenient for me to block traffic and double park like everyone else?

I have been fined for parking 10 minutes at the loading and unloading bays and I am writing to inform HDB that not being able to use the loading and unloading bays for their untended purpose is very ridiculous. To follow HDB guidelines of placing a working at the commercial vehicle to "wait" will simply increase costs unnecessarily and make small business not viable, and I guess I would have to close down as I would need to hire an extra staff for waiting at the loading and unloading bays, resulting in higher renovation costs for HDB home owners.

The other alternative is to close down my company and not hire anyone anymore during this financial downturn, and contribute to the unemployment.

--Iron Bowl