Authorities in the capital’s Por Sen Chey district have summonsed individuals and business owners who park their trucks on the pavement along Win-Win Blvd to a meeting in October to educate them about the traffic congestion problems caused by this practice.

The summon followed a September 14 notice addressed to residents, owners of land and businesses and dry port operators along the boulevard spanning Cham Chao III, Trapeang Krasang and Samraong Kraom communes to inform them that parking on the pavements there for any reason must cease immediately.

District deputy governor Pang Lida told The Post on September 26 that the parking ban was imposed to improve the appearance of the neighbourhood, maintain public order, ensure road safety and relieve traffic congestion.

He said that after the district administration issued the notice, some vehicle owners complied immediately but many others have ignored it.

“The working group will invite them to meet with us again after the Pchum Ben festival wraps up on October 11. At that meeting we’ll ask transport company owners and managers to spread the word to their truck drivers about the parking restrictions ... But if we don’t see any improvement then we’ll just have to enforce the law,” he said.

He noted that the parking ban was primarily focused on trucks parked on the pavement along Win-Win Blvd – sometimes in two rows that blocked traffic and caused congestion and delays for other commuters.

“The truck drivers who parked there may not know it but they are negatively affecting public order. So what we emphasise is using parking lots for all commercial vehicles like trucks, taxis, moving vans and container trucks. We’re requiring that now.

“We don’t want to get anyone in trouble but we do need them to follow the rules. Maybe before now they didn’t know, but now they do. So we request that they assist the district authorities with the facilitation of the flow of traffic on our roads for everyone’s benefit.

“Because the population is always increasing along with the number of vehicles on the roads, so we need to start managing these traffic issues now or they’ll only grow worse,” he said.

According to the notice, all businesses must instead make use of private parking lots at all times and must not dispose of rubbish on the pavements or wash their vehicles on the pavements or roads.

Anyone who does not comply with the rules will be at risk of having legal measures taken against them by the district authorities who may also opt to impound or even confiscate nuisance vehicles in some cases and will not be responsible for property damage or losses, the notice said.

“All removal and storage costs for improperly parked vehicles will be the financial burden of the vehicle owners. In case of non-compliance, obstruction or repeat offence, the district may build a case to be referred to court for prosecution,” it said.