Siyavuya Mzantsi
DRIVING school operators using Athlone Stadium’s parking area have slated the City for banning them from running their businesses in the area.
From yesterday more than 30 driving schools will no longer be allowed to use the stadium’s parking for training purposes.
According to the City, the decision to stop driving schools from using the parking area was because heavy-duty trucks caused problems to the surfaces and the nearby public drivers sometimes damaged the boundary walls of houses. Some driving schools operators said they have used the parking area for many years. Operator Felecia Roberts said: “(We are) not impressed at all. It now means that one has to teach a learner that does not even know how to start a car, on a public road.
The Athlone Stadium will now be known as a white elephant.”
The frustrated operators have also written to mayor Patricia de Lille expressing their concern.
In an e-mail to De Lille, operator Lloyd Castle said: “As you are no doubt aware, learning to drive a motor vehicle on actual roads can be hazardous to both the learner driver and the public at large. The use of a safe public parking area, by the learner driver, to learn to park would seem logical and in fact desirable.”
Responding to Castle’s e-mail, Freddie Prince from the City’s strategic assets department director for tourism, events and economic development, said the reason use of the parking area by driving schools (for motor bikes, cars & trucks) was stopped was because it posed a “risk” to residents.
“We’ve considered a number of options to resolve the use of the parking area. The parking area is located within a residential area, opposite a school, community pool and sportsfield,” he said.