International City residents have struggled for years to find parking near their apartments. Every evening, vans, trucks and company vehicles lined the streets, forcing residents to circle their buildings for hours. This has changed after Park Inn implemented paid parking this month.
Rizwan Ahmed, a resident of the England cluster, said:
“Now our area finally feels like a residential neighbourhood, not a free parking zone for non-locals. Earlier our roads were filled with vans, minibuses, towing vehicles and trucks of packers and movers… He said most of the vehicles were coming from the nearby Al Aweer vegetable and fruit market and furniture market, which would park here at night and leave early in the morning.
Sajid Khan, who lives with his wife and two children, said that after the paid parking, they decided to have one car instead of two in their house. We used to have two small cars, but now we have bought a big family car. This has reduced the stress and expenses, and made life easier.”
Arjun Nair, a bachelor from the France cluster, said that paid parking has forced residents to reconsider their habits. Some people have now sold their cars, or have started carpooling by parking elsewhere. Friends use one car together. The neighborhood now feels calmer, with fewer barns, fewer cars, and less noise at night.”
The biggest relief came from the evacuation of commercial vehicles. Mohammad Iqbal, who has lived in International City for eight years, said: “Car rental and used car businesses were the biggest users of free parking. They used the area like a storage yard.” He added: “We were paying rent, but non-locals were using our parking, which was unfair.” Paid parking not only created new spaces but also gave existing spaces back to residents. Rizwan Ahmed said: “This area was never designed to handle so many commercial vehicles. Now parking is only for residents. “Paid parking has not only created new spaces but also given existing spaces back to residents.” Rizwan Ahmed said: “This area was never designed to handle so many commercial vehicles. Now parking is only for residents.” Residents said that some parking problems persist in nearby areas, but daily life in International City feels better than before. Arjun Nair said: “For the first time in years, I can come home late and find parking near my building, and that makes a big difference.”
