Car parking - solutions?

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Where to park-and-ride

Where to park-and-ride
Tony Moore | November 13, 2008

Mitchelton station upgrade:
- Cost $2.7 million
- New, secure car park (72 new parks)
- New bus interchange
- Kiss-and-ride facility, new seating and waiting shelters
- Finished August 2008

Manly station upgrade:
- Cost $2.7 million
- Additional 100 parking spaces and bus/rail interchange
- Finished December 2007

Loganlea station car park upgrade:
- Cost $1 million
- Additional 110 new car parks
- Finished December 2007

Robina station transport hub upgrade:
- Cost $15 million
- Dual purpose park-and-ride for rail commuters and transport hub for events at nearby Skilled Stadium
- Finished February 2008

Caboolture car park extension:
- Cost $500,000
- Additional 184 new parks
- Finished October 2008

Petrie station upgrade:
- Third phase of $12 million upgrade underway
- Improvements include extension of railway's footbridge to the new eastern car park, providing new lift access from car park to the station
- A new bus interchange on the western side and new park 'n' ride (106 new parks) and access road on the eastern side, were added under the first two stages of the project
- To be finished in April 2009

Dinmore car park extension:
- Budget $2 million
- Additional 230 new car parks Car park extension (about 230 new car parks)
- To be finished in 2009

Work has also been completed at Narangba (210 car parks), Booval (34), Cannon Hill (58), Wynnum Central (29).

New parks have also been added to Oxford Park, Grovely, Altandi, Banoon, Coopers Plains, Fruitgrove, Sunnybank and Runcorn, as part of South East Queensland Infrastructure Plan (SEQIP) Rail expansion project.

Oxley and Darra train stations are also being upgraded while new stations are being built at Varsity Lakes and Richlands as part of SEQIP Rail expansion project will also deliver additional car spaces.

Hardly adequate, hence the need for more sustainable solutions ...

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Not our job to stop parking: Translink

Not our job to stop parking: Translink
Tony Moore | November 12, 2008

Expanded "park-and-ride" facilities are now being built at Dinmore on the outer reaches of the Ipswich line and at Caboolture on the main Caboolture line, Translink said yesterday.

Overall, Translink is building an extra 1000 car parks in park-and-ride stations.

In a statement, the public transport authority said it was not Translink policy to build or expand existing park-and-ride facilities in inner-city areas to discourage people from driving in to inner-city Brisbane, but to concentrate on the outer suburbs.

It confirmed there was no plan to expand the parking facilities at Windsor.

"However TransLink has undertaken major upgrades to stations along the Ferny Grove line and to bus services along Lutwyche Rd," the statement read.

On the Ferny Grove line, a new car park and a bus/rail interchange at Michelton Station was completed in September, 2008 as part of a $2.7 million upgrade.

The upgrade included new seating, waiting shelters, better signage, bike lockers, a "kiss-and-ride" drop-off facility, additional lighting and security cameras.

Additional parking was also provided earlier this year at Oxford Park and Grovely Station as part of the Michelton-to-Keperra track duplication works.

Overall, there are now more than 18,000 park-and-ride locations at stations on Brisbane's urban rail network.

Translink said there it was aware of the impact of building extra car parking stations in inner-city Brisbane.

"While park-and-ride facilities are a necessary component of the network, they often require significant land and may increase local road capacity," Translink said.

"Therefore it is TransLink's policy to develop park-and-ride facilities outside the CBD and inner city fringe areas."

[ozbob]

It is TransLink's job to get cracking with station buses.  How long do we as a community have to put up with this parking madness? 

The impact on residents and businesses is disastrous.  It destroys the amenity of suburbs.  And still they can only throw a few more car parking spaces here and there which is just further encouragement for more chaos!

Councils running around in circles.  Governments distant ...

[ozbob]

Email sent to the Minister for Transport and media:

-----------------------------------

14 November 2008

Greetings,

Car parking and the problems for residents and businesses is again a hot topic.

It is a pity that councils and governments seem incapable of changing the paradigm.
More and more car parks just encourages exacerbation of the problems.

The failure to build an bus interchange facility at Indooroopilly Railway station as part of the upgrade must rank as one of the classic failures of transport planning in Brisbane in recent times in our humble opinion.

Here are some solutions (below).  Check out our discussion thread on car parking solutions at the RAIL Back On Track forum, it is interesting reading --> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=532.0

Regards
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
RAIL Back On Track


-------------------------------------------

Media Release 24 August 2008

SEQ:  Car parking crisis at and around stations ? solution?

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has called for urgent action to address the car parking crisis at and around railway and bus stations.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?Yesterday I attended a local community meeting at Oxley that was held to try to get some action for the critical problem that local residents and businesses at Oxley are suffering as commuters park in streets around the station.?

?The car parking problem is not confined to Oxley, it is a major issue throughout most Brisbane suburbs.?
?RAIL Back On Track has previously highlighted the problems but we have also suggested solutions (1).?

?Immediate relief for residents is required; however yellow lines and restricted parking in the streets near stations will only push the parking overload further out from the stations unless a long term sustainable solution is put in place.?

?A solution is to introduce local ?station? buses that provide convenient public transport from suburban residences to key stations.  These station buses would be separate from the normal bus services, although some integration and variation of the normal routes would be possible if station buses were introduced.?

?On Monday to Friday  5am to 10am, and 3pm to 8pm daily we call for local neighbourhood buses to be introduced to provide transport for commuters to and from their residences to stations.  These buses could be painted a bright TransLink orange and become part of the local neighbourhood facilities and culture.  Routes could be chosen such that residents only have short walks to stops to catch the station bus.?

?By having these dedicated station buses the pressure would be off the present parking facilities, and those commuters who need to travel outside the peak times would be able to park without the present problems.?

?An extensive community education campaign would also be needed, and consideration of the introduction of parking fees at car parks at stations at peak times. These fees could offset the cost of the buses.  The station buses would be part of the normal TransLink ticketing.  This would encourage people to catch the station bus rather than drive and overload the streets.?

?It is time we moved forward with solutions, other than just knocking down houses and building more and more car parks, which in turn just acts as further encouragement for masses to drive.?

References:

1.  RAIL Back On Track Media Release 21 June 2008
SEQ:  Car parking, congestion, chaos and calamity.  A solution! http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1056.0


Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Media Release 21 June 2008

SEQ:  Car parking, congestion, chaos and calamity.  A solution!

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport users has called for dedicated buses to be introduced in the suburbs as feeder services to transport commuters from places near their homes;  to and from key bus and rail stations.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

?RAIL Back On Track has highlighted the ongoing parking problems at railway stations for some time (1).?

?As more people are forced onto public transport to save fuel costs, parking pressures around stations (rail and bus) will only increase.  Rather than driving all the way commuters will park and ride.?

?It is not possible or sensible to keep building more and more car parks. Eventually we will just have stations surrounded by hectares of car parks.?

?Car parking is causing much disruption for local residents near stations. It is causing problems with local businesses as car parks are often taken up by commuters.?

?The overload parking on streets is restricting the access of motorists and causing chaos as people attempt to drive around their suburbs.?

?Rail and bus stations need bus interchange facilities. For example with the upgrade of Indooroopilly station it would have been logical to have incorporated a bus/rail interchange as part of the upgrade.  A lost opportunity.?

?Monday to Friday, from 6am to 10am, and 3pm to 7pm daily we call for local neighbourhood buses to be introduced to provide transport for commuters to and from their residences to stations.  These buses could be painted a bright TransLink orange and become part of the local neighbourhood facilities and culture.  Routes could be chosen such that residents only have short walks to stops to catch the Station bus.?

?By having these dedicated Station buses the pressure would be off the present parking facilities, and those commuters who need to travel outside the peak times would be able to park without the present problems.?

?The parking issue is raised constantly in the media, and feedback is constantly received by us as to the problems.  Nothing substantial is ever done except more of the same; the knee-jerk response of knocking down houses and building more car parks is silly. This is a non solution for the long term. Station buses are solution that is sustainable and sensible.?

?Let?s do it!?

Reference:

1.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=532.0

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

-------------------------------------------------------------------

RAIL Back On Track
Media Release  25 August 2006
Local Commuter Mini-Buses

RAIL ? Back On Track (http://backontrack.org)   a web based community organisation for the promotion of rail throughout Australia has called for the introduction of local mini-bus routes to  transport people to and from railway stations and bus station hubs throughout the Brisbane metropolitan area.

Robert Dow, on behalf of RAIL Back On Track said   ?There is a need to provide local transport to and from the stations (rail and bus), so that people can access efficient railway transport and buses, without concerning themselves with parking vehicles at railway stations or bus interchanges.  Most railway stations in the Brisbane have either non or minimal parking facilities.  What car parks are available fill quickly and people are forced to park in shopping centres and roadways near the stations.?

?A successful model of this proposal is the Brisbane City Loop bus.  These commuter minibuses would be included in the normal Translink ticketing arrangements. The minimisation of expensive land resumptions to provide parking spaces will help offset costs.  As the fuel crisis bites, this will become a critical requirement.?

?Translink, the Brisbane City Council and the Government should address this as a priority.?

Contact:

admin@backontrack.org 
Administration RAIL Back On Track
http://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

I attended a community meeting at Oxley this morning called to discuss car parking and some proposed solutions.  In attendance was Cr Matthew Bourke Councillor for Jamboree ward, Mrs Julie Attwood Member for Mount Ommaney, and LNP Candidate for Mount Ommaney Mrs Tamara Foong, and a number of local residents.

I was able to discuss at length the need for a multi factorial solution including local restrictions to give residents some relief, the need for more feeder buses and some additional park and ride capacity.  A very worthwhile meeting.

[ozbob]

From The Satellite 26th November 2008 page 3

Residents voice parking concerns

MORE than 40 Oxley residents voiced their concerns about parking at a public meeting on Saturday.

Jamboree Councillor Matthew Bourke called the meeting to discuss the draft parking plan.

"The feedback was really positive, we had about 40 local residents come down on the day to have a look at the draft proposal and provide their feedback." he said.

"It's still a working progress, because we need to get as much feedback as possible.

"One thing that did come out of the meeting was concerns about noise.

"Anything we do in terms of parking around Oxley Train Station, won't be installed until the completion of the new park and ride facility."

The draft plan proposes two-hour parking zones in suburban streets around the train station.

State Member for Mt Ommaney, Julie Attwood, said she was disappointed with Council's strategy to combat residents' concerns about parking around the train station. "Some residents I spoke to at Cr Bourke's meeting on Saturday said they were concerned that the two-hour parking limit policy in some streets wouldn't be policed enough, if at all, by council officers," she said.

"Blackheath Road residents said that their road would still be a nightmare with little room to move and people continuing to use the street to rat run through the suburbs."

Mrs Attwood said some residents had suggested a yellow line restricting parking completely on one side of all the affected streets would be a better option.

"There are a number of buses which run along Seventeen Mile Rocks Road, and from the Centenary suburbs and the Inala area to the station which are under-utilised as commuters prefer the convenience of their own vehicle," she said.

Cr Bourke said council would come up with alternatives, and hold future meetings to discuss the options.

[brismike]

Has anyone noticed that the secure car park at Darra has been dismantled? I think it happened a few weeks ago now, not sure exactly when. I used to use it when I drove my car to Darra from Middle Park. I now ride an electric scooter to Darra so stopped using the secure part of the car park in July this year.

I wish they had dismantled it before I got a $30 parking ticket for parking next to the secure fence earlier this year. 

Regarding scooter parking .. There seems to be more and more people starting to ride scooters to Darra. There is a small section about the size of 1.5 normal car park spaces reserved for them. It is starting to get very full of scooters each morning .. Time to make the space larger methinks? 

[Mozz]

After attending the recent community meeting re proposed solutions to parking issues surrounding Oxley Railway station I fired off the email below to the BCC wards of Richlands and Jamboree and the state member and candidate - tonight I received a phone call from Milton Dick from the Richlands Ward indicating that he is supportive of solution which addresses the issues of all residents in the local area surrounding Olxey Railway station. He indicated that he had a discussion with Cr Bourke along these lines - let's hope sanity prevails and any strategy to address the issues include address all the local streets around the Oxley Railway Station. Copy of email sent is below:

On Saturday I attended a public meeting hosted by Mathew and attended by Julie and Tamara regarding Mathew's proposed remediation parking solution for residents of Oxley adjacent to the Oxley train station in his ward of Jamboree.

As a result of the meeting I applaud Mathew's attempts to resolve the issues of those residents in his ward who are afflicted by the serious traffic congestion in local streets caused by rail commuters seeking long term parking in normally quiet residential streets.

However there are some issues which myself and other residents of Oxley who also live adjacent to the railway station, however are not located in Mathews ward but in the ward of Richlands, need to make.  The most obvious is that we too have exactly the same if not worse issues in our streets. Some of those streets include, William Terrace, Ellen Street, Lincoln Street, Cook Street, Premier Street and Oxley Station Road.

The most obvious issue which arises is that any attempt to address parking concerns of those residents in some streets around the railway station by limiting the availability of long term on street car parking will cause an immediate and unwelcome impact on those nearby streets not included in the current remediation plan.

Any rail commuter parking solution for the areas around Oxley railway station need to be inclusive of all adjacent streets not just those belonging to a single BCC ward.

I suggest that Translink Transit Authority also needs to step up and take responsibility for providing the infrastructure and services to allow proper public transport solutions including comprehensive feeder bus solutions to take catchment area residents to large identified railway stations.

Finally it needs to be understood that a dedicated railway station carpark containing 70 carpark spaces while welcome as it is indeed dedicated, will have very limited positive impact for local residents and rail commuters once the most basic of mathematics is undertaken.

1.   New Carpark   = 70 spaces
2.   Lost onstreet car parking in Tavistock Street and Ardoyne Road due to current works on the Oxley Railway Station = approximately 20 spaces
3.   Lost long term onstreet parking in current remediation plan limited to a few streets in Jamboree ward = approximately 50 spaces

4.   Net result = 0
5.    Impact on residents of adjacent streets not included in current remediation plan should it go ahead = high.

As a concerned resident of Oxley adjacent to the Railway Station I raise these concerns on my behalf and on behalf of my friends and neighbours.

I am happy to discuss the contents of this email.

[ozbob]

Cars still overflowing around Oxley.

Blackheath Road today 15th Jan.





Photograph R Dow 15th January 2009

[brismike]

Be interesting to see what happens at Oxley when the new platform 3 comes into use .. next week I think (19th January 2009?). Ardoyne Road is a bit of a shambles at the moment while all the final work is taking place. I'm not sure that the new expanded car park will be ready in time?

[ozbob]

From the North West News click here!
More car parks on agenda

More car parks on agenda

28 Jan 09 by Taryn Davis

FERNY GROVE: Ferny Grove train station could receive an additional 1000 parks as part of a $100m development to the railway precinct.

State Member for Ferny Grove, Geoff Wilson, said a Melbourne developer, whom he could not name, was looking to build a $25m, multi-storey car park at the station, as part of a larger development.

Mr Wilson said he was unable to elaborate on other aspects of the redevelopment because of confidentially reasons.

Currently there are 620 car parks around the station.

?This is a very significant development if it can get off the ground,? he said.

Hills and District Chamber of Commerce member Ingrid Cliff was unaware about speculation relating to a development.

She said if retail shops were planned for the area, they could struggle.

?There is still a significant portion of shops in the area that are vacant, a lot of small businesses are finding it challenging to keep shops open,? the owner of the business Heart Harmony said.

She welcomed news of more train station car parks. ?Car parking is a definite problem,? she said.

News of the potential car park development was welcomed by locals and commuters frustrated at weekday bottlenecks around the station.

Ferny Grove resident Lucas Bird, who lives near the train station, said he was often unable to park in front of his house.

?Normally you cannot get a parking position there, that is the way it happens,? he said.

?People have to park to go to work.?

Mr Bird said a larger parking area would help the situation.

Train commuter Gayle Cumner, from Ferny Hills, said local residents driving their car to the station after 7.30am of a weekday morning ?did not have a chance? of getting a park.

?It is just shocking trying to get a park, cars are even parking up on the driveways,? she said.

Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said a long-term solution to the parking crisis was needed.

He said the car parking overflow was also causing problems with local businesses ?as car parks are often taken up by commuters?.

Mr Dow has suggested dedicated station buses, taking residents to and from their homes to the train station, would alleviate the pressures on commuter car parks.

?Station buses are a solution that is sustainable and sensible,? he said.

?Car parks will always be needed, but if pressure can be reduced by the use of feeder buses the situation might be manageable.?

A Translink spokesman said the station?s 620 car park facility was the fifth biggest in south east Queensland.

[ozbob]

Some feedback received, thanks.

I commute to Central from Bald Hills station and back each work day and the parking at Bald Hills train stattion is terrible.  If you aren't there before 7.20am (at the latest) then you have very little chance of finding a car park on the Platform 1 side of the station - even on the street.  Unfortunately for the residents that means people must park outside their homes one or two streets away.  I do not like having to do this but I have no alternative.

I know that there is work planned to put more car parks at the station however this will not fix the issue.  The proposed car park is on the opposite side of the station (the platform 3 side) and that is already vacant land under trees that people use to park on.  This already gets full each day.  When they actually start the work on that car park and these people can not park in the vacant land any longer the parking will become temporarily much worse.

Why can't QR put in a longer term solution at both existing stations and new stations by either putting in multi level carparks and/or underground car parks if there is unavailable land.

The reason this station is so busy is that there are people from North Lakes that travel to the station everyday as Petrie is already filled to the brim.

I hope that this issue has been brought to your attention by other frustrated rail commuters and that it is soon on QR's agenda.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Student car spaces returned to 'fed up' locals

Student car spaces returned to 'fed up' locals
Andrew Wight | February 17, 2009 - 5:48AM

Brisbane City Council has moved to "reclaim" streets surrounding the University of Queensland campus at St Lucia for the fed up residents who live there by cutting the amount of free parking available to students.

When they return from the summer break later this month, staff and students will find the original two-hour parking zone bounded by Durham Street and Eleventh Avenue expanded to Ryans Road, Ironside Street and Highland Terrace.

In a move that has infuriated UQ's student union, Brisbane City councillor and public transport committee chair Jane Prentice said the restrictions had been widened in response to local residents who had raised concerns over UQ students and staff parking all day outside their homes and circling their streets.

"Residents were fed up with their streets being clogged by cars that clearly weren't theirs, so council has stepped step in to help resolve the issue," Cr Prentice said.

"Those people travelling to the university who have an issue with paying for parking should consider utilising the range of public transport options offered by Council or walking across the Eleanor Schonell Bridge."

But UQ student union president Brandon Carter said forcing cash-strapped students to use public transport was both unworkable and unfair.

He said public transport to the St Lucia campus, which caters to thousands of students and staff every day during semester, was already at capacity.

"This is effectively taking away the option of free long-term parking away from students," Mr Carter said.

"Some students live in areas where they need to drive into uni, and when you are paying a minimum of $3 a day, it adds up.

"This move is particularly unreasonable because students are facing tougher times than ever."

Cr Prentice said the council had made the decision in consultation with local residents in an effort to ease traffic congestion around the busy campus.

The restrictions will be in place in time for the start of the new school term later this month and residents living within the new parking zones will be entitled to apply parking permits for use by themselves and their visitors.

In the meantime, the council will erect temporary signage until changes to the local laws are formalised.

[ozbob]

From the Southern Star Springwood 25th February 2009 page 5

Off the rails over commuter park

Off the rails over commuter park

BUSWAY users are still waiting for a commuter car park at Eight Mile Plains that the State Government said it would build last year. A government document obtained by the Southern Star shows construction on the Warrigal Rd park `n' ride car park was eight months overdue. The TransLink Network Plan gives the expected delivery timeframe for the project as the 2007/08 financial year. The Housing Department-owned block of land at the northern end of Warrigal Rd earmarked for the car park still sits empty.

LNP candidate for Sunnybank Marie Jackson said commuters had been "ripped off". "The park `n' ride at Garden City is absolutely chockers by lam. If they (commuters) can't find a place to park, they have no other option but to keep on driving and creating more congestion."

Duncan Maclaine, of Eight Mile Plains, said he regularly struggled to find a parking space at the park `n' ride next to the Eight Mile Plains Busway Station, so he used his car to get to work instead.

A TransLink spokeswoman said the Warrigal Rd park `n' ride was still in the planning phase. "Road improvements ... need to occur before (it) can proceed," she said. The same plan showed another park `n' ride car park should have been built on Klumpp Rd, Upper Mt Gravatt during the 2006/07 financial year.

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail click here!

Residents enraged as rail commuters compete for parking spaces

Residents enraged as rail commuters compete for parking spaces
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Ursula Heger and Bruce McMahon

March 25, 2009 11:00pm

COMMUTERS and residents are fighting a daily battle for rare parking spots around Brisbane's public transport hubs and householders are getting angry.

Every day, almost 100,000 rail commuters battle for 18,168 parking spots, forcing people to park illegally across residents' driveways, blocking streets and footpaths.

Frustrated residents have asked Brisbane City Council to ban all-day parking on suburban streets but commuters say they will be forced back on the city's already congested roads if they cannot find adequate parking.

Kenmore commuter Brodie Geleijn is forced to park and walk blocks to Indooroopilly railway station before dawn each day.

"I park at least a block or two away and you have to be careful because some areas are restricted," she said.

"You are trying to do the right thing for the environment by taking the train, but you risk getting a fine."

But Lesley-Anne Stack, a resident of Windsor for 40 years, said she was sometimes unable to leave home because she was blocked in.

"I'm a prisoner here -- sometimes I can't leave the house until 9pm," she said.

"We need something done. These people don't live in the area. They only stop here for the cheap fares."

Mrs Stack said she'd had to call council officers in a bid to crack down on people parking across her driveway.

While the State Government has pledged an extra $123 million for 1350 park-and-ride facilities and station upgrades, the recent $27 million renovation for Indooroopilly station did not increase commuter parking.

Indooroopilly, the largest outer-urban station in the southeast, caters for more than 8000 passengers each day. It has only two dedicated commuter carparks.

At Ferny Grove, in the city's northwest, there are 497 carparks for 5651 daily commuters boarding and alighting, while at Eagle Junction 5522 commuters vie for only 123 carparks.

And no parks are allocated at stations such as Hemmant, Ascot, Rocklea, South Brisbane and Sherwood.

According to TransLink, there are 18,186 spaces at park and ride facilities across the rail network, from Robina in the south to Gympie in the north and Rosewood in the southwest. There are 877 spaces available at Helensvale and 894 at Robina.

Parking dramas are not confined to the railway network.

In suburban Hawthorne on Brisbane's eastside, there are no parks for the river ferry terminal, leading to frustrated residents being parked in on commuter-clogged local streets.

RACQ traffic and safety executive manager John Wikman said it was time more parks were allocated for Brisbane's commuters as public transport patronage increases. "You hear about the loss of residents' amenity, the safety problem of local streets and the security issue of leaving cars there all day," he said.

"Some of those things have to be addressed and it could mean increasing the capacity of some of those carparks to take cars off the street."

Some residents close to the Windsor rail station in the city's inner north have had enough -- parked out by commuters leaving no room for locals, visitors or tradesmen to park.

"People who drive in have to park somewhere. There is only a very small parking area there, and then it spills out on to the streets," Windsor resident Brendan Treston said.

"One lane width left in the middle of the road -- you effectively have traffic travelling both ways in the one lane."

Late last year, Brisbane City Council's civic cabinet agreed to look at parking near intersections and limiting parking on one side of Windsor's streets to two hours during the business day.

Labor leader councillor Shayne Sutton believes residential parking permit schemes are needed around transport hubs.

"As demand for public transport increases, so too does demand for parking at public transport stations," she said.

"Residential parking permit schemes would help locals living near busy public transport hubs by providing them with exemptions to parking restrictions."

The Resident Permit Parking Scheme is already in use around "major trip generators" -- hospitals, universities and major sporting venues.

Deputy mayor and infrastructure chairman Graham Quirk said there are too many parking hot spots to consider extending the permit scheme beyond the traditional areas around hospitals and sports stadiums.

"That would become a major administrative task that would cost ratepayers," he said.

He said pressure for park-and-ride stations needed to be maintained and claimed a facility planned for Eight Mile Plains station was one of many that had been promised by TransLink but not completed.

"It really is a difficult one. You don't want to do things that will be a disincentive for people catching public transport and you also have to try to preserve local amenity at the same time," he said.

There are 600 metered parking spaces in the CBD -- most have two- hour limits with some 11-hour parks on the fringe of the business district. The cheapest long-term parking is the council-operated Wickham Terrace Car Park at $23 for more than four hours.

The council late last year ruled against making any more 11-hour spaces available in the CBD.

At the sprawling Westfield Chermside centre, which houses a bus interchange catering for 5000 commuters a day, there are plans for "controlled" parking for shoppers to protect spaces from all-day commuter parking.

An application is before council for the installation of boom gates and ticketing machines at Chermside. Free parking there would be limited to between two or three hours and the centre would have a "parking guidance" system for shoppers.

"We're trying to ensure that spaces remain available for genuine shoppers . . . most people won't be willing to pay," Westfield's corporate affairs manager Julia Clarke said.

TransLink defended the number of parking spaces in inner urban areas, saying they did not want to encourage people to drive in.

[ozbob]

Some very interesting blog comments at the Courier Mail blog on the article above ...

[ozbob]

Media Release 26 March 2009

SEQ:  Car parking crisis at and around stations worsens, community rage - solution?

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport commuters has again called for urgent action to address the car parking crisis at and around railway and bus stations.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"The car parking problem is a major issue throughout most Brisbane suburbs."

"The solutions to this crisis touted during the recent election by the ALP and the LNP are doomed to failure. Some increase in parking space is needed, but it is not working now nor will it the future unless sustainable solutions are put in place urgently.

"RAIL Back On Track has previously highlighted the problems but we have also suggested solutions." (1,2,3)

"Immediate relief for residents and businesses is required; however yellow lines and restricted parking in the streets near stations will only push the parking overload further out from the stations unless  long term sustainable solutions are put in place."

"Part of the solution is to introduce local 'station' buses that provide convenient public transport from suburban residences to key stations.  These station buses would be separate from the normal bus services, although some integration and variation of the normal routes would be possible if station buses were introduced. The Brisbane City Loop buses are a good model for the station bus concept."

"On Monday to Friday 5am to 10am, and 3pm to 8pm daily we call for local neighbourhood buses to be introduced to provide transport for commuters to and from their residences to stations.  These buses could be painted a bright TransLink orange and become part of the local neighbourhood facilities and culture (3).  Routes could be chosen such that residents only have short walks to stops to catch the station bus."

"By having these dedicated station buses the pressure would be off the present parking facilities, and those commuters who need to travel outside the peak times would be able to park without the present problems."

"An extensive community education campaign would also be needed including promotion of active transport, and consideration of the introduction of parking fees at car parks at stations at peak times. These fees could offset the cost of the buses.  The station buses would be part of the normal TransLink ticketing.  This would encourage people to catch the station bus or use active transport rather than drive and overload the streets."

"Improve bicycle storage facilities at stations."

"It is time we moved forward with solutions, other than just knocking down houses and building more and more car parks, which in turn just acts as further encouragement for masses to drive."



Mythical Station Bus

References:

1.  RAIL Back On Track Media Release 21 June 2008
SEQ:  Car parking, congestion, chaos and calamity.
A solution! http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1056.0

2.  RAIL Back On Track Media Release 24 August 2008
SEQ: Car parking crisis at and around stations - solution?
http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1262.0

3.  http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=532.msg4651#msg4651

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail 27th March 2009 page 9

Inner on outer in upgrade

[Fares_Fair]

Hello,

I have been a regular user of a bicycle locker at Palmwoods Station for over 4 years now.
It's great. Cost me $50.00 for a key (which will be returned when I hand the locker back)

I was contacted by QR as they are updating their records of the bike lockers to a 'Central' ? location.
I participated in an online survey on their services, example questions were, e.g. how long used ?, what improvements are required ?, would we use shower facilities ?, would we use clothes lockers ?, how often do we use it ?, what times ?, what distances would we ride to use them ? etc.

There is the chance to win $250.00 worth of goods from Goldcross cycles to a lucky survey respondent.

It'd be interesting to find out what their plans are ? 

Regards,
Fares_Fair

[ozbob]

Check out this Fares_Fair, might be of interest  ...

--> http://backontrack.org/mbs/index.php?topic=1646.0

[ozbob]

From the Brisbane mX 27th March 2009 page 2

Stick the car park



Delighted to read the response from the TL spokesman in this article.  Emphasising the multi-factorial solutions to the parking problems.  This is exactly what we have been raising now for well over 18 months.   Sustainable solutions must be brought forward, and urgently.   Good stuff TL!

[ozbob]

Many car parks at stations in Ireland, commuters pay for parking. 
One wonders if a similar strategy is in the pipeline.  Before that happens there must be regular station buses.

Car Park Information
Charged Carparks Information Irish Rail.

http://www.irishrail.ie/your_journey/carpark_information.asp

For example:

Athlone Station      110 including disabled     
Pay & display
?2.00 per day
?8.00 per week
Operator: NCPS

Athy Station    30 including disabled    
Pay & display
?2.00 per day
?8.00 per week
Operator: NCPS

[Jon Bryant]

Car parking either free or charged a fee for is not the solution.  A combination of local feeder buses and integrated trams/bus routes.  Cities such as Vienna, Berlin, Prague, etc have great systems that interconnect and allow you to easily move around the city.  Their stations are surrounded by shops, offices, squares, parks, restuarants and apartments.  Certainly not car parks.  We need to start to develop simialr urban spaces around our train stations not parking structures.   

[ozbob]

From the Satellite 15th April 2009 page 5

Traffic nightmare

Traffic nightmare
Merrin Jagtman

ANYONE would think Oxley was home to Suncorp Stadium on match day with the number of vehicles continuing to congest its roads each day. Concerned resident and local public transport advocate group RAIL Back on Track spokesman, Robert Dow, said immediate relief for residents and businesses was needed around the Oxley Train Station precinct. He said part of the solution was to introduce local `station' buses that would provide convenient public transport from suburban residences to key stations.

"These station buses would be separate from the normal bus services, although some integration and variation of the normal routes would be possible if station buses were introduced," he said.

"The Brisbane City Loop buses are a good model for the station bus concept. "By having these dedicated station buses the pressure would be off the present parking facilities, and those commuters who need to travel outside the peak times would be able to park without the present problems.

"It is time we moved forward with solutions, rather than just knocking down houses and building more and more car parks, which in turn just acts as further encouragement for masses to drive."

State Member for Mt Ommaney Julie Attwood said 70 new car parking places were being fully utilised at Oxley Train Station but parking around the streets continued to be a problem for local residents.

"Blackheath Road is one of the most popular streets for parking by commuters as it is a short downhill walk to the railway station," she said. "They park on both sides of this road allowing room for one car width in between."

Ms Attwood said she had written to the Lord Mayor about the situation and asked that a yellow line be drawn along one side of Blackheath Road to prevent parking on at least one side. "There are many people who use the station and who live outside the local area such as the Richlands and Springfield areas," she said.

"Currently a new station at Richlands is being built and this will provide 600 new parking spaces for many of these commuters, eventually alleviating the parking issues around Oxley Station."

But Ms Attwood said there were also a number of bus services from the Centenary suburbs running via Seventeen Mile Rocks Road and also from Inala that provided services to the station which were not at full capacity.

Jamboree Councillor Matthew Bourke said several Oxley roads were being measured for line markings. He said marked parking bays and three-hour parking bays would be complete within the next month. "I have been asking Translink for additional bus services and have been knocked back several times," he said. Cr Bourke said the intersection of Ardoyne Road and Seventeen Miles Rocks Road was also of concern to many residents.

"The recent Oxley Train Station upgrade has added to the problems associated with the intersection by decreasing the visibility of motorists who were exiting Ardoyne Road," he said.

"It has been proposed to prohibit a right hand turn out of Ardoyne Road onto Seventeen Mile Rocks Road, but I would like to conduct community consultation with local residents before any changes are considered. "It needs to be noted that any changes to the road network will have significant impact on the surrounding roads."

[ozbob]

From The Satellite 29th April 2009 page 7

Nightmare drive to train station

[Markus]

How about putting multi level car parks at, or above stations where land is relatively cheaper, travellers have reason to drive to the station such as coming from semi rural areas, and

Consider having bus stations at sites whereby there's direct access from popular bus feeder routes straight to the station concourse.
The deliberate mention of "direct access" is important as I have heard from friends that circuituous routes in getting to the bus zone drop off point and back onto the main road is very annoying for the passenger and costs valuable minutes. 

ARUP performed a passenger study asking passengers what "geographical cell" they lived in and asked how they got to the station. This essentially is how they determined which train stations had bus stations and which had car parks along Sydneys Cronulla line.
I really like this idea because it avoids having to have both bus and car parks at all stations. Even if it was determined 1 or 2 say bus feeder stations were innapropriate it'd be a big white elephant saving. e.g. Enoggera which I dont believe has ever reached decent cost/ benefit ratios.

[mufreight]

Right on Markus, Indoorpilly would be a good example, a parking facility could be built over the rail lines on the Brisbane side of the Westminster Road overbridge, a bus rail interchange could be built on the same level as the road overbridge with some limited car parking and a second level would add to the number of car parking spaces, not ideal but far better than what exists at present.
There are a number of other locations where a similar solution could be applied.

[Derwan]

Northgate would be a prime location for a multilevel car park - although the problem is (and I believe it'd be the same with most stations) that it's been left too long - and they can't spare a current car park while they build up.  Perhaps they could build over the railway line.  Of course I am convinced that if there were more frequent services on the Shorncliffe line, the number of people parking at Northgate would be slashed.

On another note - the "temporary" car park at Nundah was recently bitumened.  It included the removal of trees.  Perhaps they should have built a level or 2 on top while they were at it!

[ozbob]

From the Brisbane mX 7th July 2009 page 1

Ticket to park and ride

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Rising Brisbane parking costs rival Sydney

Rising Brisbane parking costs rival Sydney
Conal Hanna
July 8, 2009 - 5:01AM

Brisbane is rapidly gaining on Sydney as Australia's most expensive city to park a car, according to a new study.

The annual global Colliers International Parking Rate Survey found three Australian cities were amongst the top 10 most expensive places to park in the world.

Brisbane finished in seventh place, behind Sydney (fifth) and ahead of Perth (ninth) in the list of cities based on monthly unreserved parking rates.

London was the worst city by far, with its City rates topping the survey, while the British capital's West End finished second.

At seventh, Brisbane was ahead of Tokyo and Zurich, but fell behind New York.

Last year, Brisbane finished in fifth place, ahead of the Big Apple.

The price of monthly parking rose five per cent in Brisbane over the past year, to $660.

By contrast, Sydney prices fell 11 per cent to $733.

In terms of daily parking rates, Brisbane suffered the biggest rise in Australia, up 19 per cent to $47.50 a day, compared to Sydney, down five per cent, to $55.

Brisbane was the second most expensive city in Australia in both categories.

Helen Swanson, Colliers International commercial research manager said the fact Brisbane prices had increased - compared to falls in Sydney and Melbourne - could be a positive reflection on the city's job market.

"The increase could be a result of a continued imbalance between supply and demand, with the office market remaining solid," she said.

"This will put pressure on commercial rents - if car parking is that expensive, it's more likely that it will have to be included within future leases."

Ms Swanson pointed out the Brisbane City Council-run King George Square car park had daily rates of $25, considerably less than the average detailed in the survey.

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

New 'park and ride' plan for Brisbane's west

New 'park and ride' plan for Brisbane's west
Tony Moore
August 13, 2009 - 5:12AM

Brisbane's newest 'park and ride' station is being planned for the $16.5 million block of land near the Rocklea Markets bought last week by Brisbane City Council for a bus depot.

The facility will be outlined in a draft plan for the Sherwood Road site to be released next week.

Council's Public Transport Committee chair Jane Prentice said council's modelling showed many people from Brookwater, Springfield and Forest Lake drove their cars into Corinda and Sherwood, parked and caught the train.

"So we think there is an opportunity to look at providing a secure park and ride at Sherwood, particularly for young women."

The land is beside the Tennyson Rail spur which runs from Corinda to Yeerongpilly. Council would run a shuttle bus from the park and ride to the train, Cr Prentice said.

While the State Government is reluctant to fund new park and ride facilities within 10 kilometres of the city, it will cover the cost of leasing agreements if they are built by local authorities.

Brisbane City Council announced last week it would buy the land for $16.5 million, have a developer build the depot for $75 million, then lease the site back over 20 to 25 years.

Council documents show these lease costs would be between $4 million and $5 million each year.

If a leasing agreement was sealed with Translink, the costs of the development of new bus depots could be born by Translink over the 20 to 25 years, Cr Prentice explained.

"The State Government, I understand would be supportive of the council doing this," Cr Prentice said.

"That means the ratepayers of Brisbane will not be out of pocket for the funding of the development on the site."

However Council's Opposition Leader Cr Shayne Sutton questioned the finance arrangement.

"Council is talking about paying to lease that depot facility for around $4 million to $5 million per annum for 25 years," Cr Sutton said.

"So that means it will be around $100 million to $125 million over 25 years," she said.

Cr Sutton said she was concerned this cost was proposed for three bus depots. The Willawong depot opened in April.

"They are also proposing to do it for the CityCats. And it is going to create long-term ramifications for this council," she said.

A similar scheme is proposed for a second bus depot in Brisbane's northern suburbs; Lord Mayor Campbell Newman promised two new bus depots in his second term.

Cr Newman said ratepayers would not pay the costs, if the State Government bore the lease costs.

"We have an arrangement called the 3G contract - which is unsigned at the moment, but that is another story - where they pay for these things," Cr Newman said.

A senior Translink spokesman could not be contacted yesterday.

The council was told on Tuesday night traffic modelling showed two extra buses would run along Oxley Road between 8am and 9am and seven extra buses between 2.30pm and 3.30pm because of the bus depot.

A public meeting will be held on Saturday, August 15 at 10.30am at the Sherwood Services Club at Clewley Street, Corinda to discuss the bus depot.

[#Metro]

Brisbane City Council is so very on the ball. They've really got their act together with the modelling, the decisions and the financing- essentially a "Radio Rentals" kind of thing where the council avoids being hit with the whole cost of the project (and interest on debts that follow from that) up front.

And they are going to put in a Rail Shuttle Bus, something we have been asking for a long time!

Translink, where are you???

[Derwan]

It's interesting.  This kind of idea was suggested by someone at the most recent Shorncliffe/Doomben Line CRG meeting.  If my memory serves me correctly, she lives at Redcliffe.  She said there's no way she'll get on a bus that stops at 20 places before arriving at the train station.  It just takes too long.  Instead, she drives to the train station.  She suggested a parking station closer to home with a shuttle bus that ran directly to the train station without making any other stops.

With this model, a bus would need to run in time to catch each train.  Passengers would need to know what time they needed to be at the parking station by to catch their desired train.

Buses would need to run back and forth all day in line with train times - as not everyone works standard hours.

While buses doing local runs close to stations would still be a good idea, the model outlined above would be ideal for collections of suburbs where people are likely to drive to train stations some distance away.

[O_128]

in the mornings i would say a bus ever 5 mins off peak ever 15 but arrives with 5 mins to spare. also the buses should have different livery.

[Emmie]

It's a new idea, and I'm always pleased to see a new idea considered.  But what about the following statement?

"The land is beside the Tennyson Rail spur which runs from Corinda to Yeerongpilly.  Council would run a shuttle bus from the park and ride to the train, Cr Prentice said."

It sounds like a more feasible long term solution would be to build the park and ride facility, but then to put in a station on that Tennyson spur and actually use the Tennyson rail track efficiently.  Parkers then go straight from car to train, and can change to another rail line at Corinda or Yerongpilly.

[ButFli]

It sounds like a more feasible long term solution would be to build the park and ride facility, but then to put in a station on that Tennyson spur and actually use the Tennyson rail track efficiently.  Parkers then go straight from car to train, and can change to another rail line at Corinda or Yerongpilly.

If the train you put on is only going to be doing shuttles, why not just stick with the bus? It will achieve the same thing and won't chew up valuable track capacity.

[ozbob]

Derwan, excellent point.   I have been thinking how that approach can be used elsewhere and the obvious location is Springfield.  The branch line is presently being constructed between Darra and Richlands, the line to Springfield is scheduled some time around 2015/16 if we are lucky.  At Richlands a 650 car park is being constructed.  I don't think that will be enough and will probably be full by 6.30am.  The proposed stations after Richlands are Ellen Grove, Springfield Lakes and Springfield. 

What could be done as first phase is to establish park and rides at the future station sites of Ellen Grove, Springfield Lakes and Springfield.  Rail bus services could then operate between Springfield, Springfield Lakes, Ellen Grove and Richlands. This would provide a reasonable service pending the completion of the rail to Springfield.

If this was done, probably not much need for the Park and Ride at Sherwood.

[ozbob]

Indeed Emmie.  There are plans to utilise the Tennyson loop in a few years with more regular services.  There is also the possibility of some southern line trains being routed through Tennyson as well.  There are a couple of services weekdays through Tennyson AM and PM at present, supplemented by bus.

[ozbob]

From the Westside News click here!

Park `n? ride for Indooroopilly train station ruled out

Park `n? ride for Indooroopilly train station ruled out

18 Aug 09 @ 07:26am by Reshni Ratnam

Cars jam the streets around Indooroopilly train station.

STIFLING congestion of streets around Indooroopilly train station is set to continue, with the State Government ruling out a park `n? ride.

State Transport Minister Rachel Nolan has confirmed the government will not bow to pressure from residents to complement the $26.5 million upgrade of the station in December.
As our photo reveals, train commuters are jamming the streets surrounding the station - much to the despair of nearby householders.

State Member for Indooroopilly Scott Emerson, who claimed Indooroopilly was the busiest station outside the City, said the decision was a ?slap in the face? to all commuters who could not walk to their local train station.

?It also means that residents living near train stations will continue to see their streets parked out by commuters,? he said.

He believes the policy will also mean stations at Taringa, Chelmer, Graceville and Sherwood stations will continue to suffer inadequate parking arrangements.

Ms Nolan told Westside News however experts in transport planning believed that free parking close to the City would increase congestion on inner-suburban roads.

?It encourages people to drive from outer suburbs and use the public transport network as a taxpayer-subsidised parking option,? she said.

?In fact I am advised that number plate surveys indicate many people who park in Brisbane?s inner city aren?t from the local area.?

Ms Nolan said more than 45 extra bus trips a day had been added to Indooroopilly train station routes instead.

Federal Member for Ryan Michael Johnson has previously suggested state and federal governments work together to deliver a South Bank-style underground car park on the grounds of the Witton Barracks.

Rail Back On Track spokesman Robert Dow backed Ms Nolan but said buses should be added to the network similar to the City Loop style.

?This bus service should be from the station to the suburbs, different to the normal commuter run,? he said.

?Building more car park spaces encourages people to drive. The bus service will take the pressure off parking.?

However, resident Clive Hodges said that discontinuing building park `n? rides was no solution.

?Drivers from country areas will just park in the streets around suburban stations and still take the train or bus into town,? Mr Hodges said.

?I suspect it?s because the train service is not adequate where they live.?

[ozbob]

Interviews on 612 ABC Radio Brisbane on Indooroopilly Park and ride click here!