Motorists to pay Sh100 hourly for Nairobi parking

Motorists will be charged between Sh75 and Sh100 every hour for parking within the Nairobi city centre, if a new policy proposal by City Hall is implemented.

Parking on off-street spaces, attractive for the relative safety of vehicles from theft and vandalism, will cost one Sh100 for every hour as part of efforts by the county government to make the most of the high competition for available slots and ease traffic congestion.

One will part with Sh90 for every hour for on-street parking slots south of Kenyatta Avenue and west of Moi Avenue -- areas described as the most sought-after by motorists.

For parking in other areas apart from the two prime spots, an hourly parking fee of Sh75 will be charged. Currently, motorists are charged a flat rate daily on-street parking fee of Sh200 in the city centre.

Parking in hubs outside the city centre will cost Sh50 every hour, with the other areas attracting a charge of Sh40 an hour.

“This is aimed at fully regulating all parking in the city centre where there is a high level of competition for the available spaces,” says the policy document.

The policy also roots for the removal of season tickets option for parking in the city centre and offer the same outside the city centre at Sh6,000 per month.

It will also see the regulation of parking in mixed areas with high traffic volumes (apart from the highways that pass or cross these areas) and high demand areas (hubs).

The areas include Upper Hill, Community, Westlands, Yaya Centre, Eastleigh, Karen, Gigiri, Ngara, and Hurlingham.

“In these areas, regulation is needed to guarantee urban quality and to provide chances of sustainable means of transport,” says the policy document.

In the regulated areas, the price will reflect the demand and to what extent the supply can meet the demand.

“In the regulated areas, parking on public spaces has a price. The price is higher, the longer the parking duration,” says the policy document.

In the city centre and areas around shopping centres or houses, parking periods will be between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. while for all other regulated areas the parking periods will be between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

A 2019 report by Nairobi Assembly Public Accounts Committee revealed that in the financial year ending June 30, 2017, a total of 1,305,440 vehicles parked in the 6,125 slots during the financial year but only 402,401, representing 31 percent, paid for parking.

City Hall collected a paltry Sh1.55 billion in parking revenue in the financial year ended June 30, 2020 against a target of Sh2.8 billion. This represented a performance of 53 percent.

In the ended financial year, City Hall had realised a measly Sh4.1 billion (24.8 percent) by the end of the first half of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2021 against an annual target of Sh16.5 billion.

During the period, parking fees had returned Sh685 million of the annual target of Sh2.8 billion, representing 24.5 percent of the target.

The county government is also proposing to provide parking for residents in housing/apartment developments in the city centre through residents’ permits. Residents outside the city centre and mixed areas will be allowed to purchase season tickets.

Entrances to regulated areas will be marked with signs or road markings to provide specific information such as the payment mode and the fare and make clear where a user is leaving a controlled parking zone.

“It must be clear to the public where parking is regulated and where not, using road signs and markings,” says the policy document.

The county will also provide tailor-made solutions for parking for taxis by reducing the number of taxis being idle in the city centre and providing taxi ranks.

Specific areas for parking of “official” vehicles will be defined by City Hall while for loading or unloading bays, they will be designated close to commercial premises.

In a potential relief for people living with disability, the policy proposes the designation of at least two percent of all parking spaces for the mobility of the impaired, and ensure that such bays are of the appropriate size and location.

City Hall will also establish charging points for electric vehicles at certain parking bays while also designating areas or streets where high good vehicles will be allowed to park.