Pay parking in the parliamentary triangle: CPSU update
10 November 2010, 2:18pm
At midnight on Friday 5 Nov, the National Capital Authority (NCA) released a new discussion paper on the introduction of paid parking in the parliamentary triangle, including Parkes, Barton and Forrest.
Key points:
Options in the NCA discussion paper to address the growth in parking demand include:
increasing supply to meet demand, through construction of new structured car parking (whether by the private sector or government);
managing demand through measures such as parking pricing or a permit scheme, supported by alternative transport options (such as public transport or car pooling systems) to encourage people to change the way the get to work;
a combination of both.
Our position:
While the CPSU is ‘pro’ public transport and is a strong supporter of the National Greenhouse Strategy (NGS), there are a number of specific problems with the plan to introduce paid parking in these areas including
lack of adequate public transport alternative to private car use
lack of retail amenities and services for people working in and around the triangle
isolation and lack of secure pedestrian lighting for public transport uses in and around the triangle
Background
Over the past 20 years there have been a number of unsuccessful attempts by the NCA and the ACT Government to introduce paid parking. There have also been a range of inquiries into the issue. You can read the CPSU’s various submissions and correspondence over the years here.
What’s changed? Not enough
Previous attempts to introduce paid parking failed because the NCA and the ACT Government were not able to address the concerns of workers and employers in and around the triangle. It is clear today that the objections raised by thousands of workers and employers in the past have still not been addressed.
In particular, the ACT does not yet have an effective and convenient public transport system. For most people working in the area leaving their cars at home is not a realistic option. Despite lots of talk and minor improvements such as the introduction of the new REDEX service, bus trips to and from the triangle can still take up to 90 minutes, depending on where you live. On top of this the ACT Government recently increased bus fares again.
Let them know what you think
Feedback to the union over the years indicates that many people believe it would be totally unfair to introduce paid parking without addressing their long-standing concerns. The CPSU will be providing feedback to the NCA process and we encourage all members to do the same. The deadline for feedback is 17 December 2010. Follow this link to let the NCA know your views .
The way forward?
The CPSU is calling on the NCA and the ACT Government to put off the introduction of paid parking until the outstanding concerns of the thousands of workers and employers have been dealt with. This means making public transport a viable alternative to private car use by:
decreasing the cost of bus fares
reducing the duration of bus rides by introducing new and more direct services to town centre interchanges
increasing services in the triangle including child care, pharmacies, dry cleaners, post offices, banks etc
How can I support the CPSU campaign for better transport and services?
Posted by:Ruth - 13 Aug 2012, 1:59pm Having been without a licence for many years for medical reasons (epilepsy), it never ceases to amaze me the number of people in Canberra that complain about the public transport system and use that as an excuse to demand free parking. Canberra's public transport system was the main reason my family and I moved to Canberra nine years ago. It currently takes me 45 minutes to get to work in Civic on an express bus from southern Tuggeranong, but that's a damn sight better than having to give up working altogether as I had to do when I was first diagnosed, due to a total lack of public transport servicing the areas of the Southern Highlands and surrounding villages where I lived and worked. Five buses a day taking 90 minutes to travel the half-hour drive to Campbelltown or a half-hour walk to the local railway station for a 40 5 minute train ride to Moss Vale followed by a one hour walk to my place of work. No way will I complain about the timing or expense of public transport. Workers of Barton, get over yourselves! Have a real look at the timetables for buses servicing the area - some of your comments demonstrate that you have no real idea how frequently the area is serviced when you look at ALL your options. Be thankful you're not working for Defence and based at the Airport!
Posted by:lh - 14 Sep 2011, 6:31pm I wouldn't mind paying if there was a service avaialable. i used to work in civic and paid, but in your lunchbreak you could go to the bank, post office, medicare, etc.
There is nothing in the parliamentary zone - you can't even buy a panadol where i am - why should we have to pay for no services and the carpark is full of potholes, and without enough spaces for people to park.
Posted by:P from Latham - 2 Mar 2011, 2:42pm Poor Bartonites, having to pay for parking, diddums. Get over it, we have been paying for years in the city, services or not.
And how about some buses that run from the outer suburbs, get to the interchange, then go express to the city interchange. I live in outer Belconnen and am fed up stopping at every bloody stop between Belconnen and the city. The UC is a beaut as people park there for free then hop on the bus.
Posted by:GT - 17 Dec 2010, 11:54pm I have worked in Barton for many years and it has never changed. It is an isolated area without services enjoyed by other Canberra workers - banks, bill paying, lunch venues. If you leave the carpark at lunchtime to run an errand, likely there will not be a space on your return. Bus service to the area is inefficient and takes a lot longer than my 15 minute car ride to work. Further penalising workers by introducing paid parking is not the answer.
Posted by:Trev - 11 Dec 2010, 10:32am As a shift worker at Acton I'd like paid parking introduced there too and kept to the 4 hour limit so that the car park can be used by tourists at the national museum. Currently half the car park is used by ANU and Civic public servants. This not only affects whether tourists can find a park and access the National Museum but also makes it extremely difficult for shift workers to find a park. Maybe introduce boom gates and open at 9:30am like at Belconnen mall. Then the tourists have a chance to see the facilities the public servants work in, eg Museums a nd art galleries.
Having been without a licence for many years for medical reasons (epilepsy), it never ceases to amaze me the number of people in Canberra that complain about the public transport system and use that as an excuse to demand free parking. Canberra's public transport system was the main reason my family and I moved to Canberra nine years ago. It currently takes me 45 minutes to get to work in Civic on an express bus from southern Tuggeranong, but that's a damn sight better than having to give up working altogether as I had to do when I was first diagnosed, due to a total lack of public transport servicing the areas of the Southern Highlands and surrounding villages where I lived and worked. Five buses a day taking 90 minutes to travel the half-hour drive to Campbelltown or a half-hour walk to the local railway station for a 40 5 minute train ride to Moss Vale followed by a one hour walk to my place of work. No way will I complain about the timing or expense of public transport. Workers of Barton, get over yourselves! Have a real look at the timetables for buses servicing the area - some of your comments demonstrate that you have no real idea how frequently the area is serviced when you look at ALL your options. Be thankful you're not working for Defence and based at the Airport!
I wouldn't mind paying if there was a service avaialable. i used to work in civic and paid, but in your lunchbreak you could go to the bank, post office, medicare, etc. There is nothing in the parliamentary zone - you can't even buy a panadol where i am - why should we have to pay for no services and the carpark is full of potholes, and without enough spaces for people to park.
Poor Bartonites, having to pay for parking, diddums. Get over it, we have been paying for years in the city, services or not. And how about some buses that run from the outer suburbs, get to the interchange, then go express to the city interchange. I live in outer Belconnen and am fed up stopping at every bloody stop between Belconnen and the city. The UC is a beaut as people park there for free then hop on the bus.
I have worked in Barton for many years and it has never changed. It is an isolated area without services enjoyed by other Canberra workers - banks, bill paying, lunch venues. If you leave the carpark at lunchtime to run an errand, likely there will not be a space on your return. Bus service to the area is inefficient and takes a lot longer than my 15 minute car ride to work. Further penalising workers by introducing paid parking is not the answer.
As a shift worker at Acton I'd like paid parking introduced there too and kept to the 4 hour limit so that the car park can be used by tourists at the national museum. Currently half the car park is used by ANU and Civic public servants. This not only affects whether tourists can find a park and access the National Museum but also makes it extremely difficult for shift workers to find a park. Maybe introduce boom gates and open at 9:30am like at Belconnen mall. Then the tourists have a chance to see the facilities the public servants work in, eg Museums a nd art galleries.