Sunshine Coast Carparks at Stations

[Fares_Fair]

Does Rail Back on Track have an official position on carparking at railway stations?

I myself have heard of car parking issues at Landsborough railway station last year.
I'm not aware of any other areas where it is a problem.

The carpark at Landsborough is usually full, but has actually been down this year, probably due to go card fare hikes and longer journey times, in my opinion.
That does not exclude other factors of course.

I am seeing about 20-30 spare spaces most mornings this year, whereas last year it appeared consistently full.
This is at 6:42am each morning, so selective in it's 'perceived' data.

I understand that local business owners are unhappy with all day rail users taking up their parking areas, and that's fair enough.
The options are; if they want to encourage use of rail they need to show it by providing a). feeder bus networks to the stations or b). increasing the carpark spaces.

On the Sunshine Coast there is a real lack of bus services, and so I would say that carparks need to be provided for rail users.
In an ideal world, a bus network with a complete catchment and regular timely services would be the go.
But since the world is not ideal and we have a majority of car users, carparks seems to me to be the more useful option.

The geographics/demographics of the Sunshine Coast need to be taken into consideration when discussing the options.

Regards,
Fares_Fair

[somebody]

Don't know about an official position, but I am supportive of the 10km exclusion zone around the CBD.

And I'd like to see a fee for those parking before 9am Mon-Fri at least.

[ozbob]

We don't have an official position as such, other than that we have supported TransLinks position that inner city park n' rides are not needed. Car parks (park n' rides) are needed particularly as you move away from the high density (read high frequency public transport) inner areas.  Not only Sunshine Coast, but places like Rosewood and so forth.  Feeder buses / active transport options are just not sustainable in some areas.  This real issue is should there be a parking fee for park n' rides? It is accepted that park n' rides are needed.

The way to control it is to use go cards.  If a person travels during the day, no fee or minor parking fee, no travel then full heavy commercial rates.

Perth WA has this sort of approach.

[Arnz]

From what I've seen the carpark at Landsborough is full this year, but there's some more "street parking", whereas last year the street parking spilled out into more streets.

Also, the parking in front of the shops have a time limit (2 hours iirc), which is patrolled by parking inspectors on weekdays.

[Jonas Jade]

IMO, a fee should really only be applicable at stations/locations where there are other clear, well provisioned options; eg good feeder services, where parking is over capacity regularly, and like Bob said, the fee should be paid by go card (surcharge on top of fare for the day).

I don't think many Sunshine Coast stations have these criteria applicable, especially with the level of service they're already provided.  So I don't think a fee on the SC is fair, but in other locatons it may be.

[somebody]

Perth WA has this sort of approach.

I thought they charged a fee regardless of whether you travelled or not?

[Fares_Fair]

From what I've seen the carpark at Landsborough is full this year, but there's some more "street parking", whereas last year the street parking spilled out into more streets.

Also, the parking in front of the shops have a time limit (2 hours iirc), which is patrolled by parking inspectors on weekdays.

Hello Arnz,

May I ask what time you see it full ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[SurfRail]

Perth WA has this sort of approach.

I thought they charged a fee regardless of whether you travelled or not?

http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/UsingTransperth/CarParking.aspx

[Arnz]

From what I've seen the carpark at Landsborough is full this year, but there's some more "street parking", whereas last year the street parking spilled out into more streets.

Also, the parking in front of the shops have a time limit (2 hours iirc), which is patrolled by parking inspectors on weekdays.

Hello Arnz,

May I ask what time you see it full ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

Around the time the 7:25am service to Brisbane leaves (run by the ICE from Gympie North). 

[somebody]

Perth WA has this sort of approach.

I thought they charged a fee regardless of whether you travelled or not?

http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/UsingTransperth/CarParking.aspx

Ok, there is also free parking but again that is regardless of travelling or not.

Or am I missing something?

[#Metro]

I think charges should only be applied where the demand for parking is causing the car park to approach full capacity.
I also think some courage needs to be applied and grandfathering should stop - if the car park was always free but is now really really full, charges should come down on it.
Yes, it will p*ss a lot of people off, but it will free up spaces for those who have no alternative.

Concession rates (50%)  can be charged to those with concession Go Cards to maintain fairness.

[SurfRail]

Perth WA has this sort of approach.

I thought they charged a fee regardless of whether you travelled or not?

http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/UsingTransperth/CarParking.aspx

Ok, there is also free parking but again that is regardless of travelling or not.

Or am I missing something?

If memory serves, the lock-up parking is only accessible if you use a Smartrider and then board a service at that station.  They also use Smartrider for bicycle lockers.

[Stillwater]

The Nambour station car park is pretty full from early in the morning and remains so for much of the day.  The problem is exacerbated by the fact that a three-hour parking limit applies in the streets surrounding the Nambour General Hospital on top of the hill, where more than 2000 people are employed.  The hospital attracts hundreds of people daily, outpatients and visitors.  It would be interesting to know what proportion of the hospital-related staff, patients and visitors use the station car park as a long-term stay car park, thus denying spaces to rail commuters.  Shoppers who have no intention of catching a train also use the station car park.  Hospital-related parking space thieves could be thwarted by placing boom gates at the station car park entrances, the booms activated by the swipe of a go-card.

[Arnz]

I've noted that street parking at Landsborough has increased back in the past few weeks. 

Whereas earlier this year at the start of the school/uni semester there is at least enough street parking after the ex-Gympie North train leaves Landsborough after 7:30am,  the past month cars are now spilling out towards near the primary school again.  Fortunately, there is a 2hr parking limit for the spaces in front of the shops, and the nearby residential street.   

At the last passenger survey snapshot, Landsborough carries 44% of the peak-hour traffic on the Sunshine Coast line (740 out of 1700 boarding/alightings between Nambour-Elimbah; 800 morning boardings, 900 afternoon alightings)

[Fares_Fair]

I've noted that street parking at Landsborough has increased back in the past few weeks. 

Whereas earlier this year at the start of the school/uni semester there is at least enough street parking after the ex-Gympie North train leaves Landsborough after 7:30am,  the past month cars are now spilling out towards near the primary school again.  Fortunately, there is a 2hr parking limit for the spaces in front of the shops, and the nearby residential street.   

At the last passenger survey snapshot, Landsborough carries 44% of the peak-hour traffic on the Sunshine Coast line (740 out of 1700 boarding/alightings between Nambour-Elimbah; 800 morning boardings, 900 afternoon alightings)

Are these updated figures Arnz or are they the rounded figures from the Passenger Loadings Q3-11 report from end last year?
Just re-read your post - clarified.
I concur with your observations, also seen in an increasing number of standees on Caboolture leg services to the Sunshine Coast.
When the new 5:28pm service began it was full from day 1, with no standees, now it regularly has standees.

Any idea how many there may be from Yandina to Gympie North, since these are not included in the Q3-11 statistics?

[Stillwater]

Just an educated guess for morning Gympielander.  Gympie (30), Traveston (2), Cooran (5), Pomona (8-9), Cooroy 17-20, Eumundi (10), Yandina (8-10).  That's about 80 people collected north of Nambour for the southbound run.

[Arnz]

My guesses based on a visit a few months ago.

Gympie North - 35
Traveston - 1-3
Cooran - 5
Pomona - 5
Cooroy - 25
Eumundi - 10-12
Yandina - 10-12

Around 90 passengers in my estimate based on my last visit.  Loads may have varied since then.

[Stillwater]

lol, not dissimilar observations.  What is the statistical error for educated guesses?

[Fares_Fair]

lol, can I choose? 

That's pretty close, thank you Arnz and SW.

At a guess I'd say around 12.5% ...

[Stillwater]

FF, you also need to take into account the daytime-lunchtime Gympielander.

It would seem to have more passengers heading north than south, but southbound, the numbers would be:

Gympie 25-30, Traveston 1, Cooran 2, Pomona 3-4, Cooroy 17-25, Eumundi 6-7, Yandina 5.

About 65-70 all up.

[Fares_Fair]

Allow total around 155-160 or thereabouts.

[Stillwater]

One way (two trains), double that for return journey times 2.