EMPTY PARKS
THE only council-owned multi-storey carpark in Cairns is significantly underused despite undergoing a $5.9 million facelift to make it more attractive to workers.
Cairns Regional Council figures reveal on average 60 casual parkers a day used the Lake St carpark from Monday to Friday last week with only 29 spaces taken on Saturday and Sunday.
With 135 casual bays available and widespread complaints about the difficulty of finding a park in the city centre, the council wants to encourage drivers to use the revamped facility.
The end of free weekend parking has proved expensive for some motorists. Motorists overstaying their weekend welcome were issued cautions rather than fines throughout January during a grace period to allow the new rules to sink in.
Meter inspectors issued 251 infringement notices on the first two weekends of this month, totalling at least $14,558 in fines. At this rate, the council would rake in $380,000 in weekend fines after a year.
Division 5 Cr Richie Bates said the new revenue should be spent on establishing a decent public transport system.
“All we’ve done is kept raking in the cash and approving new developments without planning for key infrastructure,” he said.
“Now Cairns Regional Council has boxed themselves into a corner with inadequate kneejerk responses to a deepening parking crisis and nothing tangible on the horizon to address the transport needs of a growing city.
“This is stifling the economic and social growth of the CBD, something we can’t afford. Building more car parks in the centre of our streets is not the long-term answer and it cuts off vital transit lanes for public transport initiatives (bus lane, light rail) into the future.”
A council spokeswoman said avoiding fines was easy – read the signs, buy the ticket, and comply with the rules.
“Regulated parking exists to encourage regular turnover of vehicles, in turn providing the opportunity for more people to visit and enjoy the CBD,” she said.
ALL WE’VE DONE IS KEPT RAKING IN THE CASH AND APPROVING NEW DEVELOPMENTS WITHOUT PLANNING FOR KEY INFRASTRUCTURE CR RICHIE BATES