ABC News is reporting the parking fees in Government Car Parks in the City West area will increase substantially from 6 July 2009:
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Parking fees for three of Canberra’s carkparks will nearly double from Monday.
An all-day ticket at a City West car park, between Marcus Clarke Street and Gordon Street, will rise from $5 to $9.
Meanwhile, drivers parking at either of the two carparks near Phillip Oval in Woden, will pay $6 per day, up from $3.60.
ACT Transport Regulation and Planning manager Rod Paul says the new fees will apply to a total of 773 spaces.
“It continues to support the sustainable transport goals of the Government, in encouraging people to look at alternate means to using a car such as taking the bus, riding and walking,” he said.
Mr Paul says the increase is due to new office complexes being built nearby.
“It reflects the increased demand for a smaller number of car spaces and reflects the changes in work patterns in the city and employment locations in the City and Woden areas,” he said.
“It also continues to support the sustainable transport goals of the Government.”
Note: copyright of the material in this clipping resides with Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Usage permitted in accordance with the Australian Copyright Act 1968, Section 42: Fair dealing for purpose of reporting news. Source: ABC News Online, ABC Television
The rego website where you can buy the parking passes claims the increase is to do with rises in wages and cost of living – so which is it?
It would be nice also if, in supporting sustainable transport goals, they actually implemented a decent public transport system. Under last year’s “improvements” to the Action timetables, the two bus routes that came down the main road in my southern suburb every ten minutes were taken away and replaced by one route that goes down a back road every 20-30 minutes. Even if I drive to the interchange and do a park and ride, I can wait up to 20 minutes in peak hour (both at Tuggeranong interchange in the am and City interchange in the pm) for a bus to come and it’s standing room only. All-in-all, catching the bus takes me anywhere between 1-1.5 hours for what is a 20 minute car ride!