Paid Parking

[SurfRail]

http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/ServiceUpdates/ServiceChanges/tabid/132/newsid568/4070/Default.aspx

[aldonius]

The pushback will be interesting, too.

[#Metro]

I had a massive debate on this forum with Gazza in the distant past about this.
Gazza pointed out that only the new car parks in Perth have a charge.

Should this policy go through, this will no longer be true.

There is a case for charges at car parks where the car park is overcapacity or close to it and where it is easy to administer (i.e. boom gates, contactless charging gantries, proof of payment window displays). It signals limited parking supply and allows people who can get the bus, bike, walk etc to take it. Funds generated can go towards improving cycling and pedestrian infrastructure etc.

People who are parking at car parks are getting a benefit (priority access) that is not cheap to provide (extra land for car parks is what $30 000 or so to provide) and is limited.

[SurfRail]

It also appears that the lock-up parking is going as well - as of the next few weeks.

[ozbob]

Paid parking

Everything you need to know about using Transperth car parks from July 2014.

--> http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/parking

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Transperth ‏@Transperth

Don't forget, parking at our stations continues to be free on weekends and public holidays.

[950]

First article I've seen so far describing the effects of this:

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/25824472/paid-parking-eases-station-jams/

Perth's train station carparks are not filling up as fast as they did before the introduction of paid parking this year.

An analysis of latest Public Transport Authority figures show most metropolitan stations still have vacant bays at 9am with notable exceptions such as Joondalup, Edgewater, Fremantle and Warnbro full quite early.

...

[PTA spokesman] Mr Hynes said there was no evidence that paid parking had affected patronage on the Transperth system.

[#Metro]

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/25824472/paid-parking-eases-station-jams/

As revealed in _The Weekend West _this month, paid parking has also caused a surge in passengers riding bikes from home.

In the days leading up to July 31 - and immediately after - record numbers of cyclists registered to store their bikes at secure shelters at 47 of Perth's 70 stations.

On average, about 0.7 per cent of all train passengers ride bikes to stations.

But since July, the percentage has jumped at many stations, including Greenwood, where it has risen to 3.5 per cent.

^ Had a major argument about this on the forum a while ago. I said that paid car parking was a good idea for stations that become full. It would encourage people to take alternatives - walk, cycle and bus. It would leave some spaces for those who really really needed it on the day. And extra revenue could go into bus or bike upgrades.

Others said it would encourage people to leave the system - not so. Not surprising, car is only a small portion of pax catchment anyway. Each car park costs about 40 000 each easily, would make around ($2 x 52 weeks x 5 days = $520 per year). Better than nothing!