News

We thank Forum writer Henry Ong Ling Tiong for his feedback ( , Nov 9). HDB multi-storey carparks (MSCPs) are designed and built to cater primarily for passenger vehicles. For structural safety reasons, commercial vehicles such as vans and lorries, with unladen weight exceeding 2,000kg, are not allowed to park at the MSCPs. This is because such vehicles are likely to be loaded with goods, and therefore can be significantly heavier than the laden weight of passenger vehicles. These vehicles are also typically larger than passenger vehicles, and can pose a hazard to other carpark users in ways such as obstruction of views, which may result in accidents. Nonetheless, commercial vehicles that marginally exceed 2,000kg may be allowed to park at surface residential carparks, which do not have the same structural constraints as MSCPs, if the vehicles can fit in a parking space and do not pose a hazard to other carpark users. HDB assesses this on a case-by-case basis. Commercial vehicles that cannot fit in a parking space for cars at an HDB residential carpark can park at the centralised lorry/bus parks located elsewhere within the housing estates. Alternatively, they may park at their place of operations or business. Electric vehicles (EVs) can be considerably heavier compared with their internal combustion engine vehicle counterparts, owing to their battery pack. With more EV users, we will work with the relevant agencies on how to facilitate the parking of heavier EVs without compromising building safety. Director (Carparks) Housing and Development Board