The Bras Basah Complex HDB carpark.
Drivers who deliver groceries and food to Housing Board estates will no longer have to rush their deliveries within 10 minutes to avoid paying parking fees.
In a joint statement on Friday (April 17), the Housing Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said that they are extending the grace period at their carparks from 10 to 20 minutes.
“This will give sufficient time for motorists, especially those providing delivery services, to park their vehicles and deliver their goods,” they said.
Those who take longer than 20 minutes will have to pay the parking fees when they exit the carparks.
The extended grace period for HDB and URA carparks will be in place until May 31.
HDB and URA said that the move will help drivers to cope with the increased demand for delivery services. More Singaporeans are turning to online shopping for food and groceries as they stay at home during the circuit breaker period.
Both said that despite the longer grace period, motorists should not linger longer than necessary because of the safe distancing measures.
The move follows Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan’s announcement on March 29 that taxi and private-hire car drivers can make grocery and food deliveries. The move is a bid to address the shortage of delivery slots here.
A Grab pilot programme was then launched and expanded to let private-hire drivers and taxi drivers deliver food and parcels.
On April 14, online grocer Redmart also announced that ComfortDelGro cabbies are being trained to deliver groceries to help ease its delivery crunch.
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