Coin-based technology ignored in Uganda

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City parking hit by coin shortage
By Jeff Lule, Thursday, 8th October, 2009

COIN money shortage has affected the use parking meters in various streets in Kampala city. The machine only accepts coins of sh100, sh200 and sh500 denominations.

Stephen Gagaya, the operations manager of Multiplex, the city street parking managers, explained that the modern machines had been ignored by many motorists due to lack of coins as the only mode of money used in the purchase of parking tickets and stickers.

"These machines are very functional but it is only our clients who do not use them.
"We found that many people do not move with coins, which is the only mode used in the machines," Gagaya said.

In 2006, Multiplex and Kampala City Council introduced day and display parking meters on various streets to ease the purchase of parking tickets.

Eldard Kansiime, the project manager, said the new technology had brought with it various challenges.

"The project is catching up slowly but as you know, people take time to adapt to new technology.

"Many are still used to tickets, but we hope they will get used," Kansiime explained.

He said a parking meter is another supplementary mode of payment and quick- service delivery to customers than the old one of issuing tickets. Kansiime disclosed that the machines cover only 10% of the area in the city.

"This is a small area and many people within these areas pay for monthly stickers and do not require these machines.

"However, we have a trained staff at every machine to guide those who want to use it," he elaborated.

Kansiime added that there were 30 parking meters placed at various streets in the city.

Source: New Vision

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As an aside to this, Bournemouth, being a seaside town, considered parking meters and rejected them.   This was at a time when many towns were introducing them.

A means had to be found to keep traffic flowing whilst not deterring visitors by making them pay for parking.   Two steps were taken.   Road signs never showed 'Town Centre', but instead used the name 'Square', likewise for other areas.   Parking was unrestricted on the side of all roads leading into town (except at bus stops and other obvious places such as hospitals and schools) but no parking whatsoever was permitted on the side of the road leading out of town.   The result was that the town centre did not become congested as traffic going away from it was able to flow freely.   Bus stops on the main roads were clearly marked out with white boxes and instead of a single or double yellow line, the gap between them was filled in with extra yellow to make a broad band; anyone parking on such a bus stop was liable to be towed away within minutes.

Compare this with wheel clamping which only creates extended interruption to traffic flow.

Bill.

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Hmm, how do these meters in Kampala work? Around here, when I was young, there were small parking meters, one for every spot so to say. The current type, where one meter covers an entire car park or street section, accept various means of payment and then issue a paper ticket that you put in the car. Or you call a number and get a ticket SMS. So maybe those in Kampala should be redesigned to accept other "money" too ...

Christian