COUNCIL’S ‘PARKING MAD’ PLAN

Council plot fee hike to force drivers on to trams

THE Gold Coast City Council is considering hiking parking prices after the Commonwealth Games to force more drivers on to public transport.

If approved, the cost of parking would likely exceed the $6.40 return one-zone trip on the tram.

The plan has angered resident groups and Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow, who said parking fees in her electorate would not increase “while she was around”.

THE Gold Coast City Council is considering hiking parking prices after the Commonwealth Games to force more drivers on to public transport.

If approved, the cost of parking would likely exceed the $6.40 return one-zone trip on the tram to deter motorists from entering the inner city.

The Southport area is expected to be heavily affected with parking demand in the city’s CBD at 90 per cent capacity.

The plan has outraged residents groups and Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow, who said parking fees in her electorate would not increase “while she was around”.

Public parking is available in Southport for $6 a day or $2.60 an hour for street parking, $3.70 an hour for street parking in Surfers Paradise or $9 a day for early bird parking in Bruce Bishop Car Park, $2.90-3.60 an hour in Broadbeach and $1.50-2.50 an hour for street parking or $5 a day at Alex Black Car Park in Burleigh Heads.

A one-zone trip on the light rail using a Go Card costs $3.20 each way and a paper ticket is $4.60 each way. A two-zone journey is $3.90 (Go Card) and $5.70 (paper ticket) each way.

The council’s planning committee chairman, Cameron Caldwell, said the parking review would not take place until after the opening of Stage 2 of the light rail and Commonwealth Games, when the city had returned to “business as usual”.

Cr Caldwell said the busier areas such as Southport, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Burleigh would be the first targeted in the review.

“If the incentive is there for people to catch public transport ahead of driving their vehicle then they are more likely to do so,” Cr Caldwell said.

“In time we will assess costs of parking to make sure that it marries in with the use of the light rail.”

Paid parking was introduced in Broadbeach and Burleigh last year and the council this month started nine additional two and three-hour timed parking zones across the city.

The council receives about $6.3 million in parking fees and about $14.5 million in parking fines each year.

An army of almost 30 parking officers enforce the parking laws across the city.

Cr Caldwell said the citywide parking review would use data gathered from parking meters, electronic pads in parking bays and fines to determine where changes were needed.

“The demand responsive pricing policy gives us flexibility to increase or decrease parking rates that may apply in a centre during times of demand,” he said.

“If there is low demand the price would be low but if there is high demand the price would be high.”

Cr Caldwell said it was expected the 1500 car space parkand-ride at Parkwood as part of Stage 2 of the light rail would change how people use the tram.

Gold Coast Residents and Ratepayers Association president Tom Blier said the plan was a “gouge to get more money out of people”.

“Our public transport doesn’t meet all the requirements that people have,” he said.

“We are a small town with inadequate public transport.”