Source: Google Street View

The Penang Island City Council (MBPP) will begin towing illegally parked vehicles along Jalan Residensi after 5pm daily, following worsening congestion caused by vehicles parked on both sides of the road.

Penang Island mayor Datuk Rajendran Anthony said the enforcement will focus on the stretch between the junction of Jalan Residensi and Jalan Vermont up to Jalan Sepoy Line. Vehicle owners whose cars are towed must claim them before 7pm at Jalan Sepoy Line (near the Polo Ground) and settle the compound. After 7pm, vehicles must be claimed at MBPP’s enforcement depot behind KOMTAR.

Jalan Residensi, located in front of Penang General Hospital, serves as a key link between Jalan Macalister and Jalan Utama, and is a main route for motorists travelling from George Town to the southwest district of Penang Island. The road also serves several major institutions, including Penang General Hospital, SK Jalan Residensi, the Penang Nursing College, and a children’s dental training centre — contributing to consistently high traffic volume.

Despite existing no-parking signages, vehicles continue to park along both sides of the road, particularly near the hospital area, causing severe congestion from Jalan Macalister up to Jalan Perak. The situation has also forced public buses to stop along the middle lane to pick up and drop off passengers, raising safety concerns.

Rajendran stressed that parking is prohibited along the entire stretch of Jalan Residensi, especially at the upstream and downstream sections, which are designated as no-parking zones at all times. However, taking into account limited parking availability in the area, MBPP will currently enforce towing after 5pm.

To ease congestion, several nearby roads — including Jalan Sepoy Line, Jalan Tull and parts of Jalan Vermont — have been converted into one-way streets, creating about 150 parking bays. In addition, the ongoing Penang General Hospital redevelopment, expected to complete in 2028, will provide approximately 500 additional parking spaces.

MBPP has also partnered with Rapid Penang to offer a free hospital shuttle bus service, encouraging patients, visitors and staff to use public transport and reduce reliance on private vehicles.

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