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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Reporter

Motorists will now be able to transfer their paid parking time to different parking bays after the  City of Bulawayo and Tendy Three Investments Private Limited (TTI) reviewed the smart parking pricing model with immediate effect.

The move follows extensive consultations with various stakeholders.

TTI runs the city’s parking management, having been awarded the tender in 2020 under a build, operate and transfer (BOT) arrangement with BCC getting 30 percent from every dollar generated.

“Motorists will now be able to transfer their paid parking time to different parking bays during the time that they would have paid for with effect from the 10th of August 2022. For example; a motorist can purchase a US$1 per hour, or its equivalent pegged at the ongoing bank rate of the RBZ auction Rate, parking at Bay A and can move to Bay B or Bay C within their hour without being charged parking fees during the one hour that they would have purchased.

“The system will deduct minutes as the motorists park in different bays in the one hour. The pricing adjustment follows extensive consultations with stakeholders and recognises the prevailing harsh economic environment,” said town clerk Mr Christopher Dube in a statement Wednesday.

Mr Dube said BCC remained committed to ensuring that motorists have access to parking bays through the deployment of state of the art global technological systems while payment methods are also being strengthened so that all the parking fees are remitted to designated company accounts.

“The project bankers are seized with perfecting a transparent and an accountable banking system supported by a robust Information Technology solution. The City of Bulawayo and its technical partner will continue to engage all stakeholders and is planning an All Stakeholders Indaba in due course to get a review and further feedback and input on the new system and continue developing a way forward in ensuring that Bulawayo is turned into a global smart City through implementing global smart parking solutions,” said Mr Dube.