Page 3412 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 17 August 2011
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The second component, pricing parking efficiently, aims to encourage alternatives to private passenger vehicle travel and to encourage the private market to invest in new parking infrastructure.
Mr Speaker, as we know, ACT residents have a high rate of private vehicle ownership and, consequently, demand for parking is high. In the past, most of us have been able to park close to our destinations without much difficulty. As the city and our town, group and local centres have grown and changed, so too does the ease with which we are able to park. This does not mean we automatically assume there is a problem with parking supply. It means instead that we should assess whether the problem of lack of adequate parking is real or perceived through parking surveys and monitoring, planning for a range of future parking supply options, and establishing appropriate parking demand management.
If there is a capacity issue estimated at certain times or in certain locations, we can manage demand through introducing time limits, pay parking, other demand management measures like encouraging car-pooling through “three for free”, and improving access to sustainable transport alternatives. We can also implement short or long-term supply options.
If our surveys and management information indicates the need for additional capacity, we can determine whether the private sector can assist with additional supply or whether we should be providing information to the public about alternative locations to park. Parking surveys indicate that parking availability in the city and our four town centres is between three to 40 per cent, depending on the location. Surveys of city car parks during the busiest week day lunch times shows that 85 per cent of capacity of ACT government and privately operated surface car parks is occupied.
In Woden demand has been very high since early in 2011 owing to the closure of access surface parking spaces at Canberra college and gradual employment growth in commonwealth agencies. Demand is now about 97 per cent of supply in public surface car parks. The government is working with developers to progress some short-term options in the recent developments.
In other town centres there is sufficient pay parking in both government and private sector operated car parks to meet current and projected demand. This means that for most people a parking space will be available; even if they have to walk a little further or park in a slightly different location than they have in the past.
The government is also working to encourage people to choose more sustainable means of transport, which is a critical way to manage parking in Canberra. Small percentage changes in travel behaviour can, at the population level, make a significant difference at individual locations.
Our sustainable transport goal articulated in the sustainable transport plan is to increase the percentage of people walking, cycling and using public transport to work from 13 per cent in 2001 to 20 per cent in 2011 and to 30 per cent in 2026. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates we are on the way to achieving these targets. Canberra currently leads the nation in cycling use and is second only to
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