In my post on Coworking I mentioned the woeful parking situation awaiting any venture opening in Canberra’s CBD (and to a lesser extent anywhere near a major shopping precinct in the ACT). This is a real cause of pain to people like myself who are expected to appear on different client sites at different times of the day - and as someone who paid his latest parking fine yesterday it is a recent pain.
Nathanael Boehm put me onto Fair Canberra Parking - here is what they have to say:
Introduction
Parking is one of the hottest issues in Canberra at the moment. Only in the last few months has the Government finally agreed that forcing people to take public transport by not providing sufficient parking is an unacceptable option and are now apparently planning to build more car parks.
However a shortage of car parking spaces is not the only problem, and making more spaces is not going to fix all the problems. The rising cost of parking, parking rules and regulations and the high cost of parking infringements are unacceptable.
The purpose of this website is to channel our frustration with the parking situation into change. Let’s stop whinging to our co-workers and tell someone who has to care - the Government. What we propose is not unreasonable, but the recommendations are designed to fix an unreasonable system.
I believe many parking regulations are based on a lack of technology that enables the fair monitoring and administration of parking - and so the Government just applies a broad regulation and penalty system to maximise revenue rather than invest in technology that would enable a fair parking system.
It is not insignificant!
It’s not “just parking”. It’s not “just $70″.
When you spend 20 minutes in the morning trying to find a park, or when you are delayed and don’t get back to your car in time or need to park in a 15 minute zone so you don’t miss that meeting - it has an impact far greater than the $70 or so fine.
That time spent driving around looking for a park is less time you spend at work, resulting in reduced productivity. You get into work stressed before you’ve even started. And that stress is multiplied when you see that yellow envelope … because you probably didn’t deserve it!
And while the Government is rubbing it’s hands at all the money it’s pulling in … has it noticed how many Canberra residents are public servants, and that the Government is also suffering from the reduced productivity and increased levels of stress?
Yes there are other Australian cities that are worse off for parking than Canberra - and there’s nothing stopping them from taking the initiative to also stand up to their councils and local government!
What can I do?
Send us your complaints with parking in Canberra and join the petition that will accompany the recommendations we put to the Government.
I can but agree - parking is treated as a luxury by local government even in situations where public transport is unavailable. This petition gives us the opportunity to at least voice our concerns if nothing else. If you are concerned, sign it.
Thanks for the plug Andrew - just FYI I’ll be revising the site content sometime this week to take into account a bunch of responses that have come in from people with variations on some of the issues presented on the site and a few news ones, plus rebutting some of the arguments raised in The RiotACT post about the Fair Canberra Parking campaign.
I can say that in the 1 month the campaign has been running we’ve received some good responses and enough support to warrant moving forward with the campaign.
Cheers,
Hi Nathanael,
worthy cause - anything I can do to help I will
Cheers, Andrew
I arrived in Civic today at about 10:30am and pulled $7.40 from my pocket to pay for parking. Another 10c meant an extra 2 hours of parking but I didnt have the time to get it. I rushed to work and forgot about parking. After work I went back to the car and found a ticket. It frustrates me to death that they would require the whole $7.50. Its not as if I even needed a full day of parking either. I arrived at 10:30! What’s even more frustrating is that the day before I had to pay $8 for parking because I didn’t have the exact change. It seems obviously set up simply to make money more than to provide convenient efficient parking for people working full time in Civic. There is no service to the public in this.
Hi Craig,
thank you for your comment.
I don’t think that anyone would disagree with you - forcing the people of Canberra into a situation where they invariably have to get tickets is not about providing a service, it is about screwing us blind.
Parking tickets have become one more way to tax low- and middle-income earners. That is why I am wholly behind Nathanael’s campaign for fair parking.
Best regards, Andrew
I reckon if we wait long enough it would be cheaper to pay fines over “all day” parking :). I did get a fine like 5 months ago, I got a ticket for parking in a zone that i had a valid permit for -_- (and it was clearly displayed, still havent even moved the permit). They are trying to fine me $78 i wrote them a letter as they asked me to do, to try and have to fine wavered. I havent heard from them since, i guess they fell pretty stupid. “Some mothers do have em”.
-Eyl
Hi Eyl,
thank you for your comment.
What annoys me most about this stuff is the blatantly predatory behaviour - the inspectors are waiting like vultures, ready to strike at any sign of weakness. I wonder how many fewer fines would be levied if people challenged them more often (like you did)?
I wonder if it will get to the stage where the fines are cheaper than the parking
Best regards, Andrew