Don’t leave your cars in parking lots for more than 24 hours

Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Jeddah Municipality has made it compulsory for every public car park operator in Jeddah and surrounding suburbs to report vehicles that have been parked for over 24 hours to police and the traffic department, according to a source quoted by Makkah daily. The municipality has made it obligatory to record the number plates of vehicles parked more than 24 hours in the same location, the source said. The information should be forwarded to the police and traffic department so they can verify if the vehicles are associated with any crimes, including thefts and other offenses or if any all-points bulletins (APB) have been issued on the vehicle. Jeddah Municipality intends to offer investment opportunities in car parks in a number of districts in the central and southern parts of the city. The move follows a successful trial in downtown Jeddah (Al-Balad), Al-Hindawiyah and King Fahd Bridge. Sites for car parks were rented in Al-Thaalibah district in southern Jeddah, while another site has been allocated for a multi-story car park and shops in Al-Thagher district. The investment period for the sites is between five and 15 years, and Jeddah Municipality put conditions on investors to build car parks according to the Saudi Building Code. It also made it compulsory to display parking fees clearly and allocate five percent of parking spaces for the physically challenged. The car parks also need to have mobile gates, sufficient lighting, and signboards indicating turns and speed limits. Supervisors should be on site to prevent people misusing the facilities.