Car parking - solutions?

[Cazza]

Woah, I didn't realise I just time travelled back to the 1960s!

Meanwhile, in the Netherlands...

"In the Netherlands, almost half of all train travellers arrive by bicycle"...

Build a bike-centric network, and people will use a bike network. Build a car-centric network, and people will use a car network. Think of how many bus services could be funded with $44.5 million? Think of how much of a proper active transport network you could build around the Springfield area. As Metro said, think of how many more benefits a TOD here would have provided. Why is this such a difficult concept to understand?

[verbatim9]

They should of included bike parking at the new Springfield carpark, Roma Street, Albert Street, Woolloongabba, and Boggo Road stations.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1399153874385006592

[ozbob]

Couriermail Quest --> Construction date set for $10 million Mango Hill train station parking upgrade $

After years of lobbying and promises, the plans for the $10 million park 'n' ride upgrade of a busy train station north of Brisbane have been finalised.

Commuters have been calling for more parking spaces at Mango Hill train station, on the Redcliffe Peninsula Line, since it opened.

Up to 200 commuters a day park on a patch of dirt next to the Mango Hill train station or side streets, as the station car park fills up early every morning.

The Federal Government pledged $4 million towards the major upgrade in 2018.

Plans, which include an extra 280 carparks, for the project were finalised this week.

The upgrade will also include lighting and CCTV, pedestrian paths to and from the station, additional disabled parking bays and landscaping. ...

[Jonno]

Couriermail Quest --> Construction date set for $10 million Mango Hill train station parking upgrade $

After years of lobbying and promises, the plans for the $10 million park 'n' ride upgrade of a busy train station north of Brisbane have been finalised.

Commuters have been calling for more parking spaces at Mango Hill train station, on the Redcliffe Peninsula Line, since it opened.

Up to 200 commuters a day park on a patch of dirt next to the Mango Hill train station or side streets, as the station car park fills up early every morning.

The Federal Government pledged $4 million towards the major upgrade in 2018.

Plans, which include an extra 280 carparks, for the project were finalised this week.

The upgrade will also include lighting and CCTV, pedestrian paths to and from the station, additional disabled parking bays and landscaping. ...

It is really hopeless!  We have a massive housing affordability issue and the best location for housing is covered in car park!!!

[Paul B]

I guess any criticism of this will be met with "angry commuters who like to park there" or feds that will say "don't tell us how to spend your money"

[#Metro]

It's very hard to see good transport funding - at $50,000 a pop - be thrown at this. However, it does show how powerful and vote pulling Park and Ride is politically. Essentially all PT users are subsidising motorists for this benefit.

Translink generally doesn't give out $50,000 free go cards to passengers, but doesn't think twice when it comes to parking. It's a double cost as Jonno points out, although there is hope when the carpark is demolished the land can be reclaimed.

I think while we cannot stop parking, we can advocate to put a $2 parking fee on it as Perth does. That would be a more reasonable outcome.

[JimmyP]

Yeah, I think $2 to park as long as you then use PT, $10 to park if you don't then use PT. Or something along those lines.

[timh]

Yeah, I think $2 to park as long as you then use PT, $10 to park if you don't then use PT. Or something along those lines.

I've thought the same thing. You could even have the parking entrance work using GoCard. Payment would be deducted on carpark exit. If your trip history shows you tapped on to a bus/train within say 30mins of "touching on" at the carpark entrance, then upon "touching off" at the carpark exit, you're charged $2. If it doesn't detect a trip and you're just parking there for other reasons then you're charged a higher fee (kinda like when you forget to touch on)

Sent from my SM-G780F using Tapatalk

[ozbob]

Transperth had an excellent paid park 'n' ride system ( https://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/parking ) using Smartrider card ( equivalent to our go card) for a $2 cost.  We have pushed paid park 'n' ride on and off for the last 10 years or so.

Transperth has suspended their paid parking for now.  Assume COVID-19 related.

[ozbob]

Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)

Administration of Commuter Car Park Projects within the Urban Congestion Fund

An audit of a component of the Urban Congestion Fund (UCF) was undertaken as part of the ANAO's coverage of funding programs and to address Parliamentary interest.

Key facts

The UCF was established in the 2018–19 Budget. Over time, the UCF has increased from $1 billion to $4.8 billion in funding. The $660 million National Commuter Car Park Fund is a component of the UCF.

By 31 March 2021, the Australian Government had identified and selected 44 commuter car park projects for funding commitment covering 47 identified sites.

To inform the subsequent award of funding, the department had assessed proposals for the initial scoping/development stages of 23 of these sites and for the full delivery (including construction) of a further 10 sites. A total of $122 million in funding was recommended and awarded.
Significant further assessment work is required given proposals for the construction stage of less than a quarter of announced projects had been received and less than a fifth of the funding committed had been awarded.

What did we find?

The Department of Infrastructure's administration of the commuter car park projects within the UCF was not effective.

The design and implementation of the UCF relied on existing arrangements generic to infrastructure investment projects whereas some customisation was warranted.

The approach taken to identifying and selecting commuter car park projects for funding commitment was limited in coverage and was not demonstrably merit-based.

The assessment work underlying the department's advice to award funding to the selected projects was not to an appropriate standard.
By 31 March 2021, construction had been completed at two of the 47 sites and had commenced at a further three sites.

What did we recommend?

The Auditor-General made six recommendations addressing program design, record keeping, assessment of funding proposals and the establishment of delivery and payment milestones.

The Department of Infrastructure agreed to all recommendations.

> https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/administration-commuter-car-park-projects-within-the-urban-congestion-fund

====

[ozbob]

^

https://twitter.com/JoshButler/status/1409391008194863109

[#Metro]

Which ones were in Queensland?

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1409525241907351557

[ozbob]

Which ones were in Queensland?

Have a look in the document.

Mango Hill and Ferny Grove are two mentioned.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> Auditor-general report highlights major issues with Federal government's $660m pre-election car park spend

A $660 million Commonwealth government spend on train station car parks leading up to the 2019 federal election was not based on need and focused on Liberal-held or marginal seats, a review by the auditor-general has found.

Key points:
None of the 47 projects selected for funding were put forward by the Department of Infrastructure

The report said the process of choosing projects was "not demonstrably merit-based"

Many of the car parks promised ahead of the  2019 federal election were in Liberal-held or marginal seats


The review of the program, part of the $4.8 billion Urban Congestion Fund (UCF) established in the 2018-2019 federal budget, showed just 11 per cent of 47 project sites had started construction by the end of March this year.

The projects, which were mainly based in Melbourne and announced in the months prior to the 2019 Federal Election, were mainly in Liberal-held seats, with some in marginal seats.

The project selection has previously been dubbed "pork barrelling" by the other side of politics. ...

[ozbob]

The Auditor-General
Auditor-General Report No.47 2020–21
Performance Audit

Administration of Commuter Car Park Projects within
the Urban Congestion Fund

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and
Communications

https://www.anao.gov.au/sites/default/files/Auditor-General_Report_2020-21_47.pdf

[ozbob]

Which ones were in Queensland?

Have a look in the document.

Mango Hill and Ferny Grove are two mentioned.

https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/key_projects/initiatives/urban_congestion_fund.aspx

Commuter Car Park Projects

Commuter Car Park Upgrade - Beenleigh Station, Beenleigh
Commuter Car Park Upgrade - Coomera Station, Coomera
Commuter Car Park Upgrade - Loganlea Station, Loganlea
Commuter Car Park Upgrades (Mango Hill and Ferny Grove)

Total of 5

[ozbob]

[#Metro]

Commuter Car Park Projects

Commuter Car Park Upgrade - Beenleigh Station, Beenleigh
Commuter Car Park Upgrade - Coomera Station, Coomera
Commuter Car Park Upgrade - Loganlea Station, Loganlea
Commuter Car Park Upgrades (Mango Hill and Ferny Grove)

None of these seem to jump out as pork-y.

[ozbob]

^ it's the majority down south that are the real porkies ...

[timh]

Says a lot that Ferny Grove is on the list. That's Peter Dutton's seat. He copped a lot of flak in his homeland security portfolio, and right near the last election I suddenly noted all these billboards around FG with his face in it promising Park 'n ride upgrades. Obvious ploy to keep him elected. Sounds like he asked Scomo to throw him some cash for the carpark to keep him popular in his local seat and keep him elected. Very dodgy

Sent from my SM-G780F using Tapatalk

[achiruel]

As much as I don't like them, I think the FG is a necessary evil unless there's some plans to provide a real bus service to Samford.

I do wonder why we're building PnRs in places like Coomera and Mango Hill instead of providing decent bus services, though???

@timh I just looked at the electorate map, seems Ferny Grove is (just) outside Dutton's electorate boundary and in Ryan. Unless they haven't updated it since the redistribution?

[timh]

@timh I just looked at the electorate map, seems Ferny Grove is (just) outside Dutton's electorate boundary and in Ryan. Unless they haven't updated it since the redistribution?

Dunno, I haven't looked at the map but I'll take your word for it. All I know is I specifically remember the billboards with Dutton's face all over them, promising park 'n' ride upgrades for FG.

[achiruel]

I guess the reality is that although the PnR itself isn't in Dutton's electorate, there's probably enough people that would use it who do live in it (Samford Valley area) that it's worth his while to advertise it.

[ozbob]

Daniel Bowen Blog --> The multi-storey failure of Pork and Ride

[#Metro]

No wonder the Benefit Cost Ratio of the projects were largely ignored.

^ There is your answer! The numbers didn't stack up but they did it anyway!

[ozbob]

Herald Sun --> Liberal's car park pledge is shameless pork-barrelling $

The Morrison government's $660m commuter parking fund has been a slow-motion car crash since before it was even announced in the lead-up to the 2019 election.

Treasury boffins pulling the nation's purse strings wanted a competitive process to pick projects that would cut the most congestion at the least cost.

Under Alan Tudge, the urban infrastructure minister, the government did the opposite. MPs put forward railway stations where they thought parking was needed. No one spoke to the councils or state governments required to deliver them.

The Infrastructure Department told Tudge it had no information on station parking and provided advice on sites that ignored "project feasibility, costs, risks or value for money".

Instead of this ringing alarm bells, the government proudly announced 47 stations to receive new parking. Of those, 30 were in Melbourne, including 25 in Liberal-held seats and none in the growing western suburbs.

A scathing Auditor-General's report, released this week, was too focused on this shambolic process to answer the critical question: why? According to those involved, there is a simple explanation. The program was an easy way to curry favour with voters in seats the government wanted to protect. Shameless pork-barrelling. ...

[ozbob]

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/92689

Improved Varsity Lakes park 'n' ride opens

16thJuly 2021

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey

The bigger, better Varsity Lakes Station park 'n' ride is now open to commuters.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said works to formalise overflow parking at the station had been completed, adding more than 350 new parking spaces to the new park 'n' ride.

Mr Bailey said the new area was built in two stages to minimise impacts to public transport customers using the existing parking spaces.

"This project formalises the current overflow car park which is a legacy of the 2018 Commonwealth Games," Mr Bailey said.

"Commuters now have access to new parking with security lighting, CCTV and improved connectivity to the station.

"This project is another example of the Palaszczuk Government providing better public transport on the Gold Coast and supporting construction jobs through the Covid-19 pandemic.

"The Palaszczuk Government's record $27.5 billion roads and transport investment over four years is creating 24,000 jobs, supporting tourism, and helping to drive Queensland's economic recovery plan."

Mr Bailey said improved transport infrastructure in growth areas, such as the southern Gold Coast, was a key priority for the Palaszczuk Government.

"Park 'n' ride facilities are an important part of the transport network and we prioritise investment to where it will create the largest positive impact," he said.

Mr Bailey said more than 3200 new park 'n' ride spaces would be delivered over the next four years as part of the $160 million park 'n' ride upgrade program.

"This investment enables more people to connect with frequent public transport to access jobs, education and other important services in their communities," he said.

Mr Bailey said Varsity Lakes Station was the last stop on the rail line and one of the busiest park 'n' rides on the Gold Coast.

For more information on this project, visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects.

For more information on public transport, visit www.translink.com.au or phone 13 12 30.

ENDS

[techblitz]

Ive been observing the relatively new lawnton park and ride (cnr slater/ebert).....on outbound trains looking left between 8-10am and disappointing is an understatement.
On 5 observations there has been no more than 3 cars visible in the entire parking lot.
Meanwhile only 1.3km down the road at petrie station....car park still chockas...
This would surely mean some people in lawnton who have been gifted a brand new park and ride are continuing to drive to petrie station to take advantage of the quicker express services..

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Why Brisbane traffic congestion isn't getting better $

Brisbane was promised half as much money from Federal Government congestion-busting and commuter car parks funds in the past three years compared to other states on a per person basis, new analysis of the schemes show.

It is despite modelling showing traffic snarls will only get worse in the River City over the next decade.

But while none of the commuter car parks promised to Brisbane so far have started construction, Infrastructure Minister Paul Fletcher revealed work will begin this week on the first one at Ferny Grove. ...

[verbatim9]

Brisbane Times---> Getting rail passengers Ubers more effective than commuter car parks: Expert

An urban planning expert has warned a rollout of thousands of car spaces at suburban railway stations could end up doing nothing to solve congestion on local roads, saying even offering Ubers to take people home is a better solution.

As the Infrastructure Department revealed it had created a special committee to ensure there was "increased accountability" around government transport project spending, Monash University car park expert Liz Taylor says there had been an explosion in "unimaginative" and unstrategic car park funding at state and federal levels over the past decade.

[#Metro]

Pretty Shocking!
https://youtu.be/TlcaCoqsQdg

[Cazza]

https://translink.com.au/updates/45896

I've just submitted feedback to TransLink stressing the need for feeder bus improvements in the Ferny Hills/Upper Kedron area more than every now that the car parking situation at Ferny Grove worsening. With the car park likely to fill up in half the time with the reduced number of spaces, it will only funnel more people onto our congested road network.

Routes 367, 397 and 398 are completely inadequate in providing a viable alternative to driving to the station. The frequencies are severely limited and hours of operation are laughable. How can anyone be expected to even want to catch an hourly bus service "connecting" with 15 min trains, or a 2 hourly bus service on weekends (the 367 doesn't even run on Sundays!).

TransLink is not doing near enough the try and get people onto PT. Chermside has 14 inbound services/hour after 8pm (330, 333, 340 and 370), OCR has 9 bph inbound after 8pm, Greenslopes Station has 13 bph inbound after 8pm (9pbh after 9pm), yet the very last buses to service the region consisting of Everton Hills, Arana Hills, Ferny Hills, Keppera, Ferny Grove and Upper Kedron is a 360 leaving the city at 6:45pm, a 396 leaving Mitchelton at 6:36pm, a 397 leaving Ferny Grove at 6:31pm and Mitchelton at 6:59pm and a 367 leaving Ferny Grove at 6:32pm.

If anyone has the time, I would strongly recommend writing to TransLink (or even the local member) outlining how inadequate the surrounding bus network is (particularly now with reduced station parking). And they wonder why with a non-existent public transport network the north-west road network is grinding to a halt. What. A. Joke.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1445892426405539840

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1447374895973732355

[#Metro]

Where are the trees? Where are the shade? Any vehicles left there are going to boil!

[ozbob]

Northgate station park 'n' ride

Have your say about the proposed expansion

>> https://www.yoursay-projects.tmr.qld.gov.au/northgate-station-park-n-ride

[Gazza]

Spending money on that meanwhile the ramp access from Holland St doesnt comply.

They should build an elevated bridge from the car park lifts to the station entrance, and fix both problems at once.

[verbatim9]

Northgate station park 'n' ride

Have your say about the proposed expansion

>> https://www.yoursay-projects.tmr.qld.gov.au/northgate-station-park-n-ride

This needs to be done as a lot of commuters are current parking on local streets creating congestion and safety issues for local residents. The extra capacity will be welcomed by many.