19 April 2016

Parking on the Hill - time to cough up the cash

| Alexandra Craig
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Paid parking across Canberra is not a new thing. Most parking lots have been user pays for some time now with the Parliamentary Triangle having paid parking introduced on October 1 this year. Parliament House is probably the only government institution to still have free parking available. There’s a real possibility that this is all about to change.

Paid parking in the public car parks at Parliament House (basement at the front of the building and also spots on either side of Federation Mall) will come to effect in November. Paid parking for building occupants in the four private car parks (House of Representatives, Senate, Ministerial outdoor and Ministerial underground) is still under review but an outcome is expected before the end of the year.

I suspect that if paid parking is introduced for the private car parks there will be an outcry, similar to the outcry we saw when paid parking was introduced in the Parliamentary Triangle. I think the outcry will come not from political staff because the majority of them are not Canberra based anyway, but from the other building occupants that don’t earn the same wages as some highly paid public servants and political staff do. People like the cleaners, the childcare centre workers, the staff at the cafes, the attendants in the House of Representatives and the Senate, the building maintenance staff, the staff at Australia Post, the security guards, the gardeners. The list could go on and on.

I’m interested to know if those who have already had paid parking implemented at their workplace changed their lifestyle because of it, choosing to ride the bus or cycle to work, or if most people just decided to begrudgingly keep driving to work and copping the parking fee each day. Has the number of people carpooling increased perhaps?

For those readers who don’t have paid parking at their work; if it was implemented tomorrow, would you start finding alternative ways to get to and from work or would you suck it up and pay the parking fee?

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Nightshade said :

Kellamity said :

Our other option is to get a bike rack, park in Yarralumla etc and OH can drive in and ride from there.

Great! The local residents and the lake users won’t mind that at all. They are going to have to put those 3h parking signs everywhere. Too bad if you have friends visiting or want to go on a bike ride/lake adventure that’s going to take longer than that.

Why are weekday users of the lake more worthy of free parking than people going to work?

Technically, if you were to follow this plan and ride to Barton from Yarralumla, you would technically be a “Lake User” by cycling along the shared path. It’s no different to someone who walks the full lake loop, which would take all day. Still a “Lake User”, parking there and passing through the parks.

Personally I’m happy that you’re considering a cycling mode-share. That 20 minutes on the bike will also save you 20 minutes cardio at the gym.

Just how busy are the lake car parks during the week anyway?

Kellamity said :

Our other option is to get a bike rack, park in Yarralumla etc and OH can drive in and ride from there.

Great! The local residents and the lake users won’t mind that at all. They are going to have to put those 3h parking signs everywhere. Too bad if you have friends visiting or want to go on a bike ride/lake adventure that’s going to take longer than that.

Why are weekday users of the lake more worthy of free parking than people going to work?

Actually there is one other government institution that still has free parking…
ACT public schools.
One time we thought someone was exploiting the spots to park and ride to some other workplace for the day. Turns out it was the OH of one of the teachers. Oops.

Our other option is to get a bike rack, park in Yarralumla etc and OH can drive in and ride from there.

Great! The local residents and the lake users won’t mind that at all. They are going to have to put those 3h parking signs everywhere. Too bad if you have friends visiting or want to go on a bike ride/lake adventure that’s going to take longer than that.

gazket said :

If Labor didn’t bankrupt the country the feds wouldn’t need your parking money. everyone has to pitch in it’s the Labor way..

Yeah because the revenue from pay parking is really helping the countries bottom line! Ridiculous statement to make. I could say if the liberals didn’t get rid of the carbon tax we’d be better off also. Or if the liberals allowed labor to cut the salary sacrificing of cars we be better off also. It takes two to tango. If the best you can do is blame the other party because you can’t get your extreme idealogical views through parliament, then you don’t deserve to be in government. After all its the reasonable moderate, swing voters in the middle that decide elections.

If Labor didn’t bankrupt the country the feds wouldn’t need your parking money. everyone has to pitch in it’s the Labor way..

Evilomlap said :

Holden Caulfield said :

James-T-Kirk said :

I love the new pay parking arrangements. They work a treat.

I have sold one car, and now get dropped off at my workplace by my lady who Works in Belco.

So how much did you get for the Enterprise?

I don’t think it’s a good look for a Starfleet officer to have to catch the bus to meetings though.

Think of it as a shuttle (bus).
Great look, I think!

Evilomlap said :

I don’t think it’s a good look for a Starfleet officer to have to catch the bus to meetings though.

Obviously he puts his bus pants on over his starfleet uniform before boarding the bus. Wouldn’t want to make the uniform all icky.

Holden Caulfield said :

James-T-Kirk said :

I love the new pay parking arrangements. They work a treat.

I have sold one car, and now get dropped off at my workplace by my lady who Works in Belco.

So how much did you get for the Enterprise?

I don’t think it’s a good look for a Starfleet officer to have to catch the bus to meetings though.

Holden Caulfield2:54 pm 07 Jan 15

James-T-Kirk said :

I love the new pay parking arrangements. They work a treat.

I have sold one car, and now get dropped off at my workplace by my lady who Works in Belco.

So how much did you get for the Enterprise?

James-T-Kirk1:36 pm 07 Jan 15

I love the new pay parking arrangements. They work a treat.

I have sold one car, and now get dropped off at my workplace by my lady who Works in Belco.

Now, I am vehicle less, so if I have to attend a meeting, I simply catch a bus.

Sure, my efficiency has dropped, but think of all of the green points I get for busing, and owning less cars – Woot!

Hi Alexandra,

In answer to your question – yes, paid parking has impacted on our lifestyle. We live in one of the outer suburbs and although the bus and bycling in is an option (both methods taking over an hour!) driving is often easier and quicker.

I’ve actually stopped working recently (various reasons – no judgement, please!) but it allows me to drop OH off to work in Parlimentary Triangle early in the morning and return to our outer burbs for school drop offs. (& no he isn’t a politician and yes, he is permanent & yes, sometimes he needs to take gear in to work, too 🙂 ) OH will catch bus home at the end of the day, but I drive back in most evenings with the kids to collect him. If I couldn’t do this we wouldn’t be able to afford the extra $60 a week for parking, even if I was working, too.

We have recieved a few parking tickets already when overstaying the 4hour slots for 10 minutes which are really a thorn in the side.

Yes, we are grateful that we had a few months parking at work in the new city for free but when budgets are already on a knife egde its really made the juggle a bit of a trick!

Our other option is to get a bike rack, park in Yarralumla etc and OH can drive in and ride from there. But of course you need money for a bike rack! 😛 But we’ll get there. Our other option is to buy a motorbike. Long term savings may be achievable with the investment! (How old do kids need to be to piggy back in the ACT? *jokes)

OH looked into carpooling but there wasn’t much interest. It seems many people who drove in dropped kids off on the way, or didn’t return to point of origin directly after work, etc.

Also, from a visitors point of view its a shame there isn’t free parking for Questacon, Old Parliament House and the Lake.

Sure, user pays but I think user pays too much.

Ezy said :

I always have a bit of a giggle at those stuck in traffic in their cars – always in a rush to get to work, to feed that ever so hungry parking meter. One my ride home the other day I even road past a small bunch of Yellow-tailed black cockatoo’s. Little experiences like that are priceless.

Stuck? I love driving my car. And I don’t mind being ‘stuck’ in slow traffic at all – it gives me plenty of time to enjoy some of the luxury features I paid good money for. I don’t need to rush since, like cyclists, if I have somewhere to go I am sure to leave early enough that I have no need to rush around. And my disabled sticker entitles me to free parking, doing a job I love (it is called retirement). Little experiences like that are, indeed, priceless.

Ezy said :

I urge you to give it a go, now is the perfect time for it – the magpies have relaxed a bit and it’s not too hot.

That is a shame actually. Watching cyclists and posties being dive-bombed by Maggies is one of the true joys of living in the bush capital. It makes me smile almost as much as seeing a dog turd with a footprint in it.

wildturkeycanoe2:50 pm 24 Oct 14

Ezy said :

HenryBG said :

darkmilk said :

2604 said :

The downside is spending 40 mins per day less with my family. =(

Some days yes, but actually for every minute you spend on a bike you get double back: you increase your life expectancy/quality and don’t need to spend any time at the gym!

Does this include all the days lost by cyclists killed on the road?

In any case, from my prior reading of this topic, the indications are that your life expectancy only increases by around the exact amount of time you spend exercising. So you live longer, but that extra life is all spent being miserable and sweaty.

Cyclist fatalities 2013 – 14
Motorist fatalities 2013 – 1,193

My commute to and from work on the bike is only 10 minutes more via bike (Kambah to Manuka). Thats if I take the short way, which I rarely do – because we live in such a beautiful city, why rush to get to work?

I always have a bit of a giggle at those stuck in traffic in their cars – always in a rush to get to work, to feed that ever so hungry parking meter. One my ride home the other day I even road past a small bunch of Yellow-tailed black cockatoo’s. Little experiences like that are priceless.

The money I save with cycling to work, I get to spend on the weekends on beautiful food, movies, wine – all the good stuff.

I urge you to give it a go, now is the perfect time for it – the magpies have relaxed a bit and it’s not too hot.

Any figures to show how many cyclists there are in comparison to cars?
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main+Features40July+2013 shows that in 2012 71% of people used cars to get to and from work, whilst 2% cycled. As a ratio, that means 35.5 drove per 1 person riding.
Your stats say that 85 car occupants died for every cyclist fatality, but half of those were passengers of vehicles [buses, taxis and the like included], not the drivers. That means only 42.5 drivers died when a cyclist met the grave.
Based on this, there is only a marginal increase in the risk of dying whilst driving compared to riding. I think I’ll keep on risking it at those odds.

pink little birdie12:04 pm 24 Oct 14

Ezy said :

HenryBG said :

darkmilk said :

2604 said :

The downside is spending 40 mins per day less with my family. =(

Some days yes, but actually for every minute you spend on a bike you get double back: you increase your life expectancy/quality and don’t need to spend any time at the gym!

Does this include all the days lost by cyclists killed on the road?

In any case, from my prior reading of this topic, the indications are that your life expectancy only increases by around the exact amount of time you spend exercising. So you live longer, but that extra life is all spent being miserable and sweaty.

Cyclist fatalities 2013 – 14
Motorist fatalities 2013 – 1,193

My commute to and from work on the bike is only 10 minutes more via bike (Kambah to Manuka). Thats if I take the short way, which I rarely do – because we live in such a beautiful city, why rush to get to work?

I always have a bit of a giggle at those stuck in traffic in their cars – always in a rush to get to work, to feed that ever so hungry parking meter. One my ride home the other day I even road past a small bunch of Yellow-tailed black cockatoo’s. Little experiences like that are priceless.

The money I save with cycling to work, I get to spend on the weekends on beautiful food, movies, wine – all the good stuff.

I urge you to give it a go, now is the perfect time for it – the magpies have relaxed a bit and it’s not too hot.

I have a townie to get to and from work. It’s a lovely ride, flowers growing by the path, along the edge of the lake where all the water birds are. I don’t ride fast but I enjoy it.

Ezy said :

I urge you to give it a go, now is the perfect time for it – the magpies have relaxed a bit and it’s not too hot.

No they haven’t. Extol the virtues of cycling by all means, but those little feathered psychopaths are still out there atm.

HenryBG said :

darkmilk said :

2604 said :

The downside is spending 40 mins per day less with my family. =(

Some days yes, but actually for every minute you spend on a bike you get double back: you increase your life expectancy/quality and don’t need to spend any time at the gym!

Does this include all the days lost by cyclists killed on the road?

In any case, from my prior reading of this topic, the indications are that your life expectancy only increases by around the exact amount of time you spend exercising. So you live longer, but that extra life is all spent being miserable and sweaty.

Cyclist fatalities 2013 – 14
Motorist fatalities 2013 – 1,193

My commute to and from work on the bike is only 10 minutes more via bike (Kambah to Manuka). Thats if I take the short way, which I rarely do – because we live in such a beautiful city, why rush to get to work?

I always have a bit of a giggle at those stuck in traffic in their cars – always in a rush to get to work, to feed that ever so hungry parking meter. One my ride home the other day I even road past a small bunch of Yellow-tailed black cockatoo’s. Little experiences like that are priceless.

The money I save with cycling to work, I get to spend on the weekends on beautiful food, movies, wine – all the good stuff.

I urge you to give it a go, now is the perfect time for it – the magpies have relaxed a bit and it’s not too hot.

pay parking… I was pleasantly surprised, after a career change into IT world and then gaining work in the parliamentary triangle, to discover there was anywhere you could get FREE PARKING! I understand the argument of “you are only there to work/no services are at your disposal”… but after many years in the town where the car is king.. well.. I just took it as a given that you pay for parking.
that said, I had a ball every day I parked like a cowboy and did so for free!
anyway the free ride is over, cest la vie, I only wish I had have been on board earlier!
Paid parking was the impetus I needed to stop paying cheap rent in the ‘burbs and move into the city (yep, there are advantages to not having a household to build! 🙂 sorry family guys!!!) now I bus, walk and bike.. little ol’ canberra feels like it is growing up.. 🙂 and there is always a choice (as evidenced by the empty carparks in the triangle).

Antagonist said :

Maya123 said :

It’s you who are doing the assuming here. I wasn’t. I was asking for “more explanation”. I did make the explanation that you must be self employed, and then went on to explain my reasoning for this, re work vehicles, preserved parking, etc, because otherwise you would have these things. It just needed more comprehension on your part.
I am surprised though that building sites don’t have preserved parking for the workers though, because where I worked much of our building was torn down and replaced. We were kicked out of some of our parking areas and this was preserved for the building workers only. I think we were told this was a union demanded thing. It didn’t matter if we didn’t have parking, but the workers had to have it, regardless whether their vehicle was a work vehicle with tools (reasonable), or just the vehicle driven to work.

Preserved parking? Is that where they soak the parking space in a pickling solution so that it last longer?

Reserved!

JC said :

Masquara said :

The C’wealth arrangement is that way only because it had to be so.

Back peddle hey?

You just leave chiropractors out of this.

The paid parking makes it easier for us field based workers to get a nearby spot for our fully loaded vehicles to provide you with a quicker and efficient service. We thank those who have been upset by the changes to the parliamentary triangle arrangement for their co-operation. 🙂

and since they introduced paid parking, all those that parked in the Hyatt or along the front of Lennox Gardens have now shifted back around the corner onto Alexandrina Drive and into the boat loading zone and the yacht club. And within the last 2 days there are new signs up along there saying 3 hour parking. (No – i’m not one of them – I just travel that way frequently).

Masquara said :

The C’wealth arrangement is that way only because it had to be so.

Back peddle hey? But not it is that way because the Federal Government wanted it that way. Not because it had to. The Feds could have asked/given permission to the ACT Government to run the scheme, just as they did with paroling before paid parking.

Maya123 said :

It’s you who are doing the assuming here. I wasn’t. I was asking for “more explanation”. I did make the explanation that you must be self employed, and then went on to explain my reasoning for this, re work vehicles, preserved parking, etc, because otherwise you would have these things. It just needed more comprehension on your part.
I am surprised though that building sites don’t have preserved parking for the workers though, because where I worked much of our building was torn down and replaced. We were kicked out of some of our parking areas and this was preserved for the building workers only. I think we were told this was a union demanded thing. It didn’t matter if we didn’t have parking, but the workers had to have it, regardless whether their vehicle was a work vehicle with tools (reasonable), or just the vehicle driven to work.

Preserved parking? Is that where they soak the parking space in a pickling solution so that it last longer?

wildturkeycanoe said :

magiccar9 said :

Maya123 said :

This needs more explanation. You are obvious self employed, because if you worked for the public service or other government type organization, they would supply the tools and a work vehicle, which would have a reserved place to park. This was what happened in my old work place, which had paid parking for the general workers, but reserved places for the work vehicles, and the tools were supplied as part of employment. I can’t imagine a private person having a business in the parliamentary triangle, so it can’t be where most of this discussion is about. Also many businesses have a reserved place to park. That’s why your comments need more information, so we can better understand your position.

Considering the amount of new buildings and site renovations happening in the Triangle at the moment, wildturkey has a valid point. Construction sites don’t have reserved parking, and someone’s business doesn’t necessarily need to be based in the Triangle to work there. Everyday I see tradies having to fight for parking anywhere near their worksites. They aren’t necessarily self employed. Loading zones don’t allow them to park all day while they work, and if they get a parking ticket they may as well kiss away their entire days earnings.

For what its worth, people need to understand that there is just as much private enterprise in the Triangle as there are Gov Departments. To say that public servants can afford it is one thing, but consider the private employees who earn two-thirds to half of their equivalent salaries. Private enterprise are the people who feel the pinch the most. We don’t get compensated for the pay parking either like some departments – we pay the full amount everyday.

As someone previously said, since when did we start paying to have to come to work?

magiccar9, you got it right. Not a contractor, wages man working in the triangle because that’s where the boss places me. Own car, own tools, no permits or free parking. On site storage yes, but need to bring them home on occasion as they are used elsewhere too. To be honest, yes we do get reimbursed for parking, but I haven’t found a spare $60 to get the first week sorted out [times are tough for some]. I used to ride a motorbike to work with my hand tools on the back but had to give that up due to injury and haven’t ridden since. I also need to pick up kids on way home from after school care so bike isn’t an option, neither is a bus. I understand pay parking, but the costs are seriously not justified. How much profit are they raking in?
Maya123 – stop assuming things, it doesn’t help your arguments when you get it so wrong.

It’s you who are doing the assuming here. I wasn’t. I was asking for “more explanation”. I did make the explanation that you must be self employed, and then went on to explain my reasoning for this, re work vehicles, preserved parking, etc, because otherwise you would have these things. It just needed more comprehension on your part.
I am surprised though that building sites don’t have preserved parking for the workers though, because where I worked much of our building was torn down and replaced. We were kicked out of some of our parking areas and this was preserved for the building workers only. I think we were told this was a union demanded thing. It didn’t matter if we didn’t have parking, but the workers had to have it, regardless whether their vehicle was a work vehicle with tools (reasonable), or just the vehicle driven to work.

wildturkeycanoe9:47 pm 22 Oct 14

magiccar9 said :

Maya123 said :

This needs more explanation. You are obvious self employed, because if you worked for the public service or other government type organization, they would supply the tools and a work vehicle, which would have a reserved place to park. This was what happened in my old work place, which had paid parking for the general workers, but reserved places for the work vehicles, and the tools were supplied as part of employment. I can’t imagine a private person having a business in the parliamentary triangle, so it can’t be where most of this discussion is about. Also many businesses have a reserved place to park. That’s why your comments need more information, so we can better understand your position.

Considering the amount of new buildings and site renovations happening in the Triangle at the moment, wildturkey has a valid point. Construction sites don’t have reserved parking, and someone’s business doesn’t necessarily need to be based in the Triangle to work there. Everyday I see tradies having to fight for parking anywhere near their worksites. They aren’t necessarily self employed. Loading zones don’t allow them to park all day while they work, and if they get a parking ticket they may as well kiss away their entire days earnings.

For what its worth, people need to understand that there is just as much private enterprise in the Triangle as there are Gov Departments. To say that public servants can afford it is one thing, but consider the private employees who earn two-thirds to half of their equivalent salaries. Private enterprise are the people who feel the pinch the most. We don’t get compensated for the pay parking either like some departments – we pay the full amount everyday.

As someone previously said, since when did we start paying to have to come to work?

magiccar9, you got it right. Not a contractor, wages man working in the triangle because that’s where the boss places me. Own car, own tools, no permits or free parking. On site storage yes, but need to bring them home on occasion as they are used elsewhere too. To be honest, yes we do get reimbursed for parking, but I haven’t found a spare $60 to get the first week sorted out [times are tough for some]. I used to ride a motorbike to work with my hand tools on the back but had to give that up due to injury and haven’t ridden since. I also need to pick up kids on way home from after school care so bike isn’t an option, neither is a bus. I understand pay parking, but the costs are seriously not justified. How much profit are they raking in?
Maya123 – stop assuming things, it doesn’t help your arguments when you get it so wrong.

2604 said :

Masquara said :

Katie Gallagher and her government are picking on Parliamentary Triangle workers because there are very few small businesses in the area to get offside re patrons having to pay to park.

Err…that’s Commonwealth land, not ACT Government land. The National Capital Authority is collecting the money on behalf of the Commonwealth. Wayne Swan announced the measure in the 2013-14 budget.

To answer the OP, I’ve started riding to work. It’s a 15.5km ride each way. The return on investment on my new, $1200 roadie is pretty good (I save $18 per day in parking and petrol, so about 1.5% daily), and arrive at work feeling quite energized.

The downside is spending 40 mins per day less with my family. =(

The C’wealth arrangement is that way only because it had to be so.

dkNigs said :

Exercising is fantastic, once you have a base level of fitness you crave it. When you’re all flabby and can’t do a pushup, you think it’s the worst thing in the world. I’d rather feel a million times better all day after spending an hour working out, than lethargic and unhealthy all the time.

Too right.

After 20 odd years of training up to three times a day, six days a week. And then being belted by blokes who were (in the main) bigger than me for 20 odd weekends a year, I got pretty sore over time.

So, as a now 45 year old ex sportsman (still play masters though, I love the concept of growing old disgracefully) I long ago made the decision that, if I was going to be sore all the time, I’d rather be fit and sore than unfit and sore.

The wife just thinks I’m nuts.

Maya123 said :

This needs more explanation. You are obvious self employed, because if you worked for the public service or other government type organization, they would supply the tools and a work vehicle, which would have a reserved place to park. This was what happened in my old work place, which had paid parking for the general workers, but reserved places for the work vehicles, and the tools were supplied as part of employment. I can’t imagine a private person having a business in the parliamentary triangle, so it can’t be where most of this discussion is about. Also many businesses have a reserved place to park. That’s why your comments need more information, so we can better understand your position.

Considering the amount of new buildings and site renovations happening in the Triangle at the moment, wildturkey has a valid point. Construction sites don’t have reserved parking, and someone’s business doesn’t necessarily need to be based in the Triangle to work there. Everyday I see tradies having to fight for parking anywhere near their worksites. They aren’t necessarily self employed. Loading zones don’t allow them to park all day while they work, and if they get a parking ticket they may as well kiss away their entire days earnings.

For what its worth, people need to understand that there is just as much private enterprise in the Triangle as there are Gov Departments. To say that public servants can afford it is one thing, but consider the private employees who earn two-thirds to half of their equivalent salaries. Private enterprise are the people who feel the pinch the most. We don’t get compensated for the pay parking either like some departments – we pay the full amount everyday.

As someone previously said, since when did we start paying to have to come to work?

HenryBG said :

darkmilk said :

2604 said :

The downside is spending 40 mins per day less with my family. =(

Some days yes, but actually for every minute you spend on a bike you get double back: you increase your life expectancy/quality and don’t need to spend any time at the gym!

Does this include all the days lost by cyclists killed on the road?

In any case, from my prior reading of this topic, the indications are that your life expectancy only increases by around the exact amount of time you spend exercising. So you live longer, but that extra life is all spent being miserable and sweaty.

Exercising is fantastic, once you have a base level of fitness you crave it. When you’re all flabby and can’t do a pushup, you think it’s the worst thing in the world. I’d rather feel a million times better all day after spending an hour working out, than lethargic and unhealthy all the time.

darkmilk said :

2604 said :

The downside is spending 40 mins per day less with my family. =(

Some days yes, but actually for every minute you spend on a bike you get double back: you increase your life expectancy/quality and don’t need to spend any time at the gym!

Does this include all the days lost by cyclists killed on the road?

In any case, from my prior reading of this topic, the indications are that your life expectancy only increases by around the exact amount of time you spend exercising. So you live longer, but that extra life is all spent being miserable and sweaty.

2604 said :

The downside is spending 40 mins per day less with my family. =(

Some days yes, but actually for every minute you spend on a bike you get double back: you increase your life expectancy/quality and don’t need to spend any time at the gym!

wildturkeycanoe said :

Unlike others here, I do not have the option of riding a motorcycle, bicycle or catching a bus [due to having to carry tools and arriving at work earlier than the transport system allows]. I haven’t got $60 extra to spare to pay it so I have resorted to finding places that don’t cost anything. It does mean I have to walk a fair distance, carrying all my gear, plus having to wake at five and get in early for the few limited spaces. Sacrifices must be made, but work is for earning a living. When did it change so that going to work actually costs you money? Almost cheaper to stay at home and claim the dole.

Fair enough if you don’t want to ride a motorbike but, if you now have to “walk a fair distance, carrying all [your] gear” then you should be able to carry that gear on a suitably modified motorbike or trailer.

For tradespeople that still do need their vehicle I presume there are still loading zones, building owner provided permit parking, temporary on site storage for tools, and tax deductions for where paid parking is still a necessity?

Masquara said :

Katie Gallagher and her government are picking on Parliamentary Triangle workers because there are very few small businesses in the area to get offside re patrons having to pay to park. There’s lots of small business in Dickson, and the government is keeping the parking fees quite reasonable there. Mind you, I would think a lot of workers in the Triangle are now taking a sandwich lunch and saving much of the $12 a day that way. I’ve been told the NLA cafe is giving up the lease because of the parking sitch.

Federal land, federal decisions. Not ACT Government. I’m sure you’ll apologise for getting this wrong.

Masquara said :

Katie Gallagher and her government are picking on Parliamentary Triangle workers because there are very few small businesses in the area to get offside re patrons having to pay to park. There’s lots of small business in Dickson, and the government is keeping the parking fees quite reasonable there. Mind you, I would think a lot of workers in the Triangle are now taking a sandwich lunch and saving much of the $12 a day that way. I’ve been told the NLA cafe is giving up the lease because of the parking sitch.

Good rant. But you seem to have ignored the bleeding obvious. Paid parking in the triangle was introduced by the Federal government (first kicked off by Labor) and all revenue, including fines goes to the Federal government. So please explain what Katie Gallagher and her government have to do with it?

Maya123 said :

wildturkeycanoe said :

Unlike others here, I do not have the option of riding a motorcycle, bicycle or catching a bus [due to having to carry tools and arriving at work earlier than the transport system allows]. I haven’t got $60 extra to spare to pay it so I have resorted to finding places that don’t cost anything. It does mean I have to walk a fair distance, carrying all my gear, plus having to wake at five and get in early for the few limited spaces. Sacrifices must be made, but work is for earning a living. When did it change so that going to work actually costs you money? Almost cheaper to stay at home and claim the dole.

This needs more explanation. You are obvious self employed, because if you worked for the public service or other government type organization, they would supply the tools and a work vehicle, which would have a reserved place to park. This was what happened in my old work place, which had paid parking for the general workers, but reserved places for the work vehicles, and the tools were supplied as part of employment. I can’t imagine a private person having a business in the parliamentary triangle, so it can’t be where most of this discussion is about. Also many businesses have a reserved place to park. That’s why your comments need more information, so we can better understand your position.

Also I should add, where I worked had several parking passes they would give out to visiting people who needed to be there for the day, such as tradespeople and official guests. I know this, because after I retired from there, I went back for a couple of days work and was given one of these parking passes. Have you asked about this? Otherwise, put the parking fees on the bill.

wildturkeycanoe said :

Unlike others here, I do not have the option of riding a motorcycle, bicycle or catching a bus [due to having to carry tools and arriving at work earlier than the transport system allows]. I haven’t got $60 extra to spare to pay it so I have resorted to finding places that don’t cost anything. It does mean I have to walk a fair distance, carrying all my gear, plus having to wake at five and get in early for the few limited spaces. Sacrifices must be made, but work is for earning a living. When did it change so that going to work actually costs you money? Almost cheaper to stay at home and claim the dole.

This needs more explanation. You are obvious self employed, because if you worked for the public service or other government type organization, they would supply the tools and a work vehicle, which would have a reserved place to park. This was what happened in my old work place, which had paid parking for the general workers, but reserved places for the work vehicles, and the tools were supplied as part of employment. I can’t imagine a private person having a business in the parliamentary triangle, so it can’t be where most of this discussion is about. Also many businesses have a reserved place to park. That’s why your comments need more information, so we can better understand your position.

Crazed_Loner11:25 pm 21 Oct 14

Masquara said :

Katie Gallagher and her government are picking on Parliamentary Triangle workers because there are very few small businesses in the area to get offside re patrons having to pay to park. There’s lots of small business in Dickson, and the government is keeping the parking fees quite reasonable there. Mind you, I would think a lot of workers in the Triangle are now taking a sandwich lunch and saving much of the $12 a day that way. I’ve been told the NLA cafe is giving up the lease because of the parking sitch.

It’s nothing to do with the ACT government, it’s a Federal Government decision – the previous Labor Government, to their shame, especially given that the money is going into consolidated revenue rather than to the NCA, Canberra generally, or improving facilities in the area.
And having worked in the area, it’s not the same as for people working in Civic or at town centres. No banks, shops, supermarkets, limited eateries – a retail desert.
If the government was really interested in solving the problem of workers parking in national institution parking areas, they could have and should have charged for parking only in those parking areas. But it’s really just an intellectually dishonest cash grab.

wildturkeycanoe9:51 pm 21 Oct 14

Unlike others here, I do not have the option of riding a motorcycle, bicycle or catching a bus [due to having to carry tools and arriving at work earlier than the transport system allows]. I haven’t got $60 extra to spare to pay it so I have resorted to finding places that don’t cost anything. It does mean I have to walk a fair distance, carrying all my gear, plus having to wake at five and get in early for the few limited spaces. Sacrifices must be made, but work is for earning a living. When did it change so that going to work actually costs you money? Almost cheaper to stay at home and claim the dole.

Masquara said :

Katie Gallagher and her government are picking on Parliamentary Triangle workers because there are very few small businesses in the area to get offside re patrons having to pay to park.

Err…that’s Commonwealth land, not ACT Government land. The National Capital Authority is collecting the money on behalf of the Commonwealth. Wayne Swan announced the measure in the 2013-14 budget.

To answer the OP, I’ve started riding to work. It’s a 15.5km ride each way. The return on investment on my new, $1200 roadie is pretty good (I save $18 per day in parking and petrol, so about 1.5% daily), and arrive at work feeling quite energized.

The downside is spending 40 mins per day less with my family. =(

Masquara said :

I’ve been told the NLA cafe is giving up the lease because of the parking sitch.

Yeah. Sure.

I work in Woden and the wife in city west. It costs us $55 a week to park, plus over $28 on the bus.

Wife drives 3 days a week and buses the other 2, I bus 3 days and drive the other 2 so we can drop and pick up the lad from school. Adds up in the long term.

I used to cycle 3 days, but since the bike needs a fair bit spent on it have negated that for the bus in the meantime. It’s not really any cheaper when you factor in the maintenance, although there are other benefits like better health.

We’ve never taken 2 cars.

It’s a cost of living just like food, bills, alcohol etc. If you don’t want to pay it start a home business.

Masquara said :

Katie Gallagher and her government are picking on Parliamentary Triangle workers because there are very few small businesses in the area to get offside re patrons having to pay to park. There’s lots of small business in Dickson, and the government is keeping the parking fees quite reasonable there. Mind you, I would think a lot of workers in the Triangle are now taking a sandwich lunch and saving much of the $12 a day that way. I’ve been told the NLA cafe is giving up the lease because of the parking sitch.

What a lot of rot.

Many other places in the ACT have paid parking. Instead of having a whinge, those in the triangle should consider themselves lucky they got a way with it for so long.

Katie Gallagher and her government are picking on Parliamentary Triangle workers because there are very few small businesses in the area to get offside re patrons having to pay to park. There’s lots of small business in Dickson, and the government is keeping the parking fees quite reasonable there. Mind you, I would think a lot of workers in the Triangle are now taking a sandwich lunch and saving much of the $12 a day that way. I’ve been told the NLA cafe is giving up the lease because of the parking sitch.

I rode my bicycle more often to work, and on wet days caught the bus. Before I would drive on wet days.

“I’m interested to know if those who have already had paid parking implemented at their workplace changed their lifestyle because of it, choosing to ride the bus or cycle to work, or if most people just decided to begrudgingly keep driving to work and copping the parking fee each day.”

I’ve started riding the bus daily as a direct result of the introduction of paid parking, I seriously begrudge paying $12/day to park.

My colleague has a much longer commute, and has started catching the bus about 2-3 days a week, and cops the fee the other 2-3 days.

I don’t know if I’m imagining it, but the traffic on Northbourne in the morning and evenings seems much lighter than it was a few months ago.

I started riding a motorcycle, not because of paid parking, but because my work moved to a new premises with woefully inadequate parking and 55 minutes of public transport vs the 8 minute drive/ride. It has now in the last few years become a lifestyle change, while the wife still has a car, I only have a motorbike, and we were able to move into an apartment in the city because we no longer required two car spaces. Having gone back to uni with pay parking it’s actually cheaper in petrol to ride the bike and park for free than it is to catch the bus at student rates per week! Plus with a bike smaller than 300cc, the registration is ridiculously low. Just got my full licence for the bike, so now able to ride 2-up also.

I can’t deal with relying on bus timetables, the past 3 times I’ve gone to catch one it hasn’t shown up and the next bus has made me either cut it very close or be late.

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