Article: LNP promises 3000 parking spots

[ozbob]

From Brisbanetimes click here!

LNP promises 3000 parking spots

LNP promises 3000 parking spots
Tony Moore | March 10, 2009 - 11:15AM

An extra 3000 parking spaces will be built at train stations around South-East Queensland by an LNP government over four years at a cost of $50 million, the party promised this morning.

Stations to get the new spaces will include the Gold and Sunshine coasts and Ipswich.

Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg announced the plan at Strathpine Rail Station where he said 100 car parks would be built at at a cost of $1.2 million.

"Commuters catching public transport ease the pressure on our heavily congested roads, and we need to ensure passengers' trips are as safe and smooth as possible," Mr Springborg said.

However a study will need to be taken by the LNP to see if there is any available land close to rail stations to decide where to build park and ride centres, he said.

"A full audit of parking spaces around train stations would be conducted to determine what unused land is available at station precincts, what nearby housing blocks could be purchased and what underutilised car parking land could be sold off," he said.

Mr Springborg said the 3000 car parks would be above what is currently planned by Translink and promised more feeder buses to rail stations.

"That's why an LNP State Government will spend $50 million over four years to provide for at least 3000 car parks at park and ride facilities at train stations in outer suburbs, over and above what is already being planned, along with increased feeder buses at stations closer to the city," he said.

In November last year Translink said they would build an extra 1000 car parks in park and ride stations around Brisbane and its outer suburbs.

That figure did not include estimates of extra car parks on the Gold and Sunshine coasts, nor Ipswich.

Translink concentrates its "park and ride" parking stations in Brisbane's outer suburbs to discourage motorists driving to inner-city train stations.

Overall there are about 18,000 car parks at park and ride stations around Brisbane.

[ozbob]

Some ramp up of park and ride is necessary, but we need more local integrated feeder buses to key rail and bus stations.

Otherwise we will just end up with acres and acres of car parks .....

[ozbob]

From Brisbane mX 10th March 2009 page 2

Hey, Borg spender

[ozbob]

This ongoing thread on car parking issues may be of interest --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=532.0

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Unionists disrupt Lawrence Springborg's Strathpine speech

Unionists disrupt Lawrence Springborg's Strathpine speech
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Rosemary Odgers

March 10, 2009 11:00pm

UNIONISTS have vowed to continue targeting Lawrence Springborg in the final two weeks of campaigning after ambushing his media conference in Brisbane yesterday.

A handful of unionists confronted the Liberal National Party leader as he arrived by train at Strathpine station to unveil a public transport policy.

As Mr Springborg re-announced that an LNP government would spend $50 million over four years to provide an extra 3000 commuter car parks at train stations in Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold and Sunshine coasts, about a dozen members of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union surrounded the group.

Waving placards stating the "LNP will cut services to Queensland", they constantly interjected.
"I'm de-necessary!" one of the protesters shouted.

A man then appeared wearing a giant papier-mache head resembling Mr Springborg and challenged him to a tug of war. Mr Springborg grabbed the rope and pulled so hard his double fell over.

The LNP leader kept his sense of humour throughout the media conference, at times deliberately antagonising and then addressing the protesters.

"I'd like to thank our good friends in the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union for accepting our invitation to come along here this morning," he said.

The stunt was organised by the Queensland Public Sector Union.

Spokesman Alex Scott said members would continue to voice their anger over the LNP's plan to cut jobs.

"We will be following him around," Mr Scott said.

"The tug of war symbolises the fight workers will have with him to save jobs."

Earlier, Mr Springborg said the new car parks would be funded through his 3 per cent efficiency dividend.

He said commuters and residents living near train stations were frustrated that streets were clogged because there were not enough carparks at stations.

Mr Springborg first announced the plan last year as part of a wider policy which included free travel for some commuters catching public transport in Brisbane before peak hour, extra train carriages and improved security.

But he was once again forced to defend the savings plan as unionists heckled.

"This is, from our perspective, a modest and achievable efficiency dividend based on the waste of this Government," he said.