Beach Street Parking Complex

MBPP Beach Street Parking Complex (19 January 2011)


Beach Street Parking Complex foyer (6 May 2015)


MBPP Beach Street Parking Complex (GPS: 5.41592, 100.34066) or Kompleks Letak Kereta MBPP Lebuh Pantai is a three-storey car park along Beach Street in George Town. Occupies a plot of land that was formerly Market Street Ghaut, it has 204 parking bays. The parking complex was officiated by the Penang Chief Minister, Mr Lim Guan Eng, on 17 January, 2011.

The Beach Street Parking Complex was originally operational from 8:00 am to 6:00 pmj weekdays and 8:00 am to 1:00 pm Saturday. However, in response to urges from traders in Little India, the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) extended the operating hours to round the clock since 24 March 2015.¹

Foyer of the Parking Complex (19 January 2011)


Lift and Autopay Machine of the Beach Street Parking Complex (6 May 2015)


The Beach Street Parking complex is the first MBPP multi-storey car park to operate using an autopay system. The public can also pay for their paying using the Touch 'N Go smart card. The parking complex is rented out to Excel Parking as the operator, at RM4000 per month with a 3-years-plus-2 contract beginning from 1 March, 2015. The parking is RM1.00 per hour.

Occupying a shoplot at the MBPP Beach Street Parking Complex is Store Your Luggage, a service for visitors on transit to store their bags so that they can go explore the city unencumbered.

History of the area

Until reclamation works were carried out at the end of the 19th century, Market Street Ghaut were just steps leading from the shore into the sea. It was here that fishing vessals bring fresh fish to the market located on Market Street. It had, and still has, a predominantly South Indian flavour, leading it to be called Penang's Little India.

Beach Street Parking Complex foyer (6 May 2015)


After the main market of George Town was relocated further south, to the Sia Boey area, the land along Market Street Ghaut served various purposes connected with the Penang Port. Land reclamation created proper streets in the area, including Market Street Ghaut itself and Victoria Street.

By the mid-20th century, Market Street Ghaut was been turned into the Victoria Street Bus Terminus for City Council buses. It served that purpose until the late 1970's, when it fell into neglect. The stretch of Market Street Ghaut closest to Pengkalan Raja Tun Uda was occupied by a row of hawker stalls.

The MBPP Beach Street Parking Complex is on the Map of Lebuh Pantai, George Town, Penang

References