Along the busy Beach Street, a sign tells motorists that they have entered the parking zone where they have to pay to park. The irony is that most of the parking meters are not working.

The Samoa Observer recently observed the parking metres in the busy Apia area, revealing significant issues with their functionality. Motorists were seen frustrated as they tried to figure out how to pay for the parking meter, some not even paying at all.

Of the seven parking meters installed starting from the Digicel NPF Plaza area to the ANZ bank, the Samoa Observer can confirm that:

• Parking meter #5 was completely out of service.
• Parking meters #3 and #4 displayed incorrect times. Both meters were 1-2 minutes behind real time.
• Parking meter #1 was running six minutes behind real-time, leading to customers being overcharged.
• Parking meters #2, #7, and #8 had poorly functioning screens, making them difficult to see and use. 
• Parking meter #6 was not on site.

Additionally, one parking spot had signage indicating a meter, but no actual meter was present. Many motorists were observed avoiding the use of the meters altogether, possibly due to their malfunctioning state or lack of understanding of how to operate them.

Police officers were seen actively patrolling the area, checking vehicles as drivers reversed out of their parking spots. Some motorists were directed back to the parking meters to pay for their tickets. However, a few individuals struggled to operate the machines due to unresponsive screens or unclear instructions.

In an attempt to seek assistance, a call was placed to the number provided on the parking meter screen. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) representative on the line was unable to provide a solution, suggesting instead that if the machine was not working, the customer should walk to the next one. At one point, the representative even implied that not paying the meter might be acceptable.

Questions regarding these faulty parking meters have been sent to the LTA Chief Executive Officer, Sagauga Leilani Galuvao, but no response has yet been received.

The ongoing issues with these parking meters highlight a lack of proper maintenance and customer support, leaving motorists uncertain about how to comply with parking regulations.