Parking fees set to rise Tasmania Mercury CHARLES WATERHOUSE
June 23, 2008 12:00am
CONTROVERSIAL big increases in car-parking fees are expected to be passed by the Hobart City Council today.
It is proposed to increase fees for meters in the city centre and for the Argyle St and Centrepoint car parks.
Retailers have reacted angrily to the proposed changes, saying they would scare off shoppers from the CBD at a time when there is growing competition from large developments in the suburbs.
After the outcry, the council deferred a vote on the plan on May 12, in order to examine the issues further.
Hobart Lord Mayor Rob Valentine said parking charges had not kept pace with the cost of building new or replacement car parks.
Ald Valentine said commuters were increasingly using cheap city parking provided for shoppers and the resultant slowdown in turnover was upsetting shop owners.
He said parkers regularly removed cars from council car parks, drove around the block and returned to save money.
Since the development of Salamanca Square car park, he said, construction prices had tripled.
He said the council was considering a report that examined inner-city car-parking pricing and initiatives to provide shoppers with greater access and to reward environmentally friendly commuters.
It reviewed long-term parking pricing, first-hour-free parking, car pooling, commuter parking in fringe areas and park-and-ride initiatives.
Ald Valentine said that, while some slight increases for parking charges might be introduced, the first hour free in inner city multi-storey car parks would continue.
"ABS data shows that, between 2001-2006, there has been a 10 per cent increase -- or 4000 per day new workers in the city -- while the expansion of suburban living in Kingborough, Clarence and Brighton and a stronger economy have all put pressure on the system," Ald Valentine said.
He said other initiatives in the report were car pooling discounts in council commuter car parks and considering public transport "free rides home" for inner-city shoppers.
For metered car parks, the report recommended an increase to ensure the meters were used for short-term visitor parking -- not commuters meter-feeding, which has been a rising trend in Hobart over the past few years.
The whole purpose of charges for parking was to help to promote the CBD as a place to shop and do business, and to compete with suburban shopping centres, Ald Valentine said.
The council was also considering formalising commuter car parking at the Regatta Grounds, with bus transport to the city centre, Ald Valentine said.