13 February 2012

NCA to crack down on median strip parking

| johnboy
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The National Capital Authority has released the public record of their December meeting.

Of particular interest is movement on the subject of parking on median strips:

PARKING ON VERGES AND IN MEDIAN STRIPS

The main avenues, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Commonwealth and Kings Avenues and State Circle are of significant landscape/structural importance in the National Capital Plan (Plan). Accordingly, each is included in the designated areas or is subject to special requirements. There is a growing trend for verges, median strips and other grassed/landscape areas to be used as informal car parks or construction management areas. The use of grass areas for car parking or construction logistics (storage, employee/equipment parking etc.) is likely to compromise the landscape value of these areas. It results in aesthetic deterioration as well compaction of the root zone of street and park trees.

The Decision

The NCA does not support the use of nature strips, median strips or other grassed areas
within designated areas for car parking (except for very short terms associated with approved
events or construction logistics). It was agreed that the NCA would install ‘No Parking – Grass
Areas’ signage in key trouble areas under NCA control.

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Hope someone tells Andy Barr of this decision. Seems it will (appropriately) rule out the appalling use of the Canberra Ave median strips adjoining Manuka Oval for car parking at major sporting events at the Oval.

Let them walk from their suitably parked cars or catch a bus.

NoImRight said :

Aenveigh said :

About time. Plenty of nature strip parkers could use the bus, and more people using the bus leads to more services, which makes it easier for more people to use the bus.. and so on.

If there’s not enough car parks in the Triangle perhaps it’s time for pay parking, to sort out the people who -really- need to drive (drop of kids to school, no decent PT) from those for whom it’s convenient, but really no worse off if they cycle/bus/walk to work.(like I used to be, right off Northbourne – but easier to drive when the parking is free).

Perhaps even priced like SFPark (ie dynamic pricing) – now that would be forward thinking… but would we ever see it in Canberra?

If youve ever tried to find a park after about 8.45 in that area you would know its hardly a matter of being “convenient”

That’s my point – I used to drive because it was convenient, but didn’t need to. There were plenty of others like me.
And we got there at 8.30 or before… whereas those who had to drop kids of got there later, and it was decidedly inconvenient to try and park then.
A charge a bit higher than a return bus fare won’t break the bank, but would encourage many people that can get the bus to do so, and free up some spots for the parents etc arriving later – making it more convenient for them (saving time looking for a park, then walking 10-15mins from the faraway spot they ended up having to use). Given the salaries most PS are on, saving 15 mins ought to be worth paying something for.
That, and the fact the NCA is currently ‘renting’ all that carpark land for car storage for nothing… maybe we’d pay les taxes if those actually using the carparking paid for it, instead of the cost being shared among all the non-drivers attending the same workplaces…

bigfeet said :

G-Fresh said :

This.

This what?

this …please

G-Fresh said :

This.

This what?

bigfeet said :

Hopefully they will start with the area directly across the road from Old Parliament House.

A bunch of unemployed criminal vagrants have been parking their cars and camping there for years.

This.

Aeek said :

Who gets the revenue?

The ACT government will provide parking enforcement and keep the fines. As well as all the hassle of chasing defaulters and etc etc etc.

teach me to do things on the run.

fixed now, thanks.

Editors… (you don’t have to publish this)

a) Link is to an unrelated article on Riot-ACT.
Correct link to NCA’s Dec meeting: http://www.nationalcapital.gov.au/attachments/728_Public%20Record%20of%20Authority%20meeting%2016%20December%202011.pdf

b) The Decision section is incomplete. The full paragraph is:
The NCA does not support the use of nature strips, median strips or other grassed areas within designated areas for car parking (except for very short terms associated with approved events or construction logistics). It was agreed that the NCA would install ‘No Parking – Grass Areas’ signage in key trouble areas under NCA control.

And it could all be avoided by simply landscaping the areas in question!

Aenveigh said :

About time. Plenty of nature strip parkers could use the bus, and more people using the bus leads to more services, which makes it easier for more people to use the bus.. and so on.

If there’s not enough car parks in the Triangle perhaps it’s time for pay parking, to sort out the people who -really- need to drive (drop of kids to school, no decent PT) from those for whom it’s convenient, but really no worse off if they cycle/bus/walk to work.(like I used to be, right off Northbourne – but easier to drive when the parking is free).

Perhaps even priced like SFPark (ie dynamic pricing) – now that would be forward thinking… but would we ever see it in Canberra?

If youve ever tried to find a park after about 8.45 in that area you would know its hardly a matter of being “convenient”

EvanJames said :

It’s certainly got a lot worse in the parly triangle and surrounds. It’s 3 deep around the DFAT carpark now. What a joke, building buildings for people to work in, and nowhere to park.

Not for much longer, there are bollards going up around that area soon to curtail the practice. It will be interesting to see where the overflow ends up.

Does this mean that the APS cars will stop parking on the verge along Perth Avenue? Finally! And those pesky parents on Hobart Avenue? When will someone think of the children?

devils_advocate11:36 am 12 Feb 12

Road_Monkey said :

Who is the NCA going to get to book the illegally parked cars, ACT government. They have an election this year, so for fear of upsetting these motorists and loosing votes they won’t book them.
THE NCA might have to find some funding and try some physical barriers to try and stop them.
It is going to turn into an ugly little war.

It’s actually a genuine safety issue when people park on medians, especially close to intersections, because you can’t see cars coming where you have to give way. I’ve seen heaps of near misses where people chance it, and a couple of collisions where it appears likely that vision was obscured by an illegally parked car. Clearly the vast majority of median strip parks is harmless but it only takes a few people to not use any common sense and it creates a safety hazard.

Who is the NCA going to get to book the illegally parked cars, ACT government. They have an election this year, so for fear of upsetting these motorists and loosing votes they won’t book them.
THE NCA might have to find some funding and try some physical barriers to try and stop them.
It is going to turn into an ugly little war.

Who gets the revenue?

RedDogInCan said :

astrojax said :

so the nca will become grey ghosts?

Err, no. The missing part of the original article concludes:

“It was agreed that the NCA would install ‘No Parking – Grass Areas’ signage in key trouble areas under NCA control.”

A sign – that’ll stop them!

Is that the National Crime Authority (NCA) you are referring to?

Are they going to book the cars parked all day at the Tent Embassy?

Parking on nature strips compacts the earth, damaging the trees. They should ruthlessly book these people.

People need to get their fat arses out of their car and catch buses. And stop using the excuse that their children need to be driven around the place – make their children get off their fat arses and take responsibility for getting to and from school.
It’s not hard, give them a bus timetable and a bus ticket and tell them if they miss their bus they get a caning.

astrojax said :

so the nca will become grey ghosts?

Err, no. The missing part of the original article concludes:

“It was agreed that the NCA would install ‘No Parking – Grass Areas’ signage in key trouble areas under NCA control.”

A sign – that’ll stop them!

so the nca will become grey ghosts?

Good on em. I drove down past the DFAT carpark yesterday and couldn’t believe how many cars were parked on the grass there.

Also State Circle between Melbourne and Adelaide Avenues a few weeks ago where apartment construction was going on they had the parking lane plus one road lane blocked off for truck access and all the workers cars (not vans or utes, just regular transport cars) were parked on the medium in the middle of the road. Made for piss poor visibility coming up to the intersection and there were workers just wandering around on the road oblivious to anyone coming.

What about the massive carpark out at Brand Depot? Anything happening there yet? Surely a park and ride system with a couple of dedicated buses at peak hour servicing the Gungahlin/Bungendore/QBN residents who work in the triangle would help a bit.

That’s all well and good, the areas mentioned are an integral part of the urban design after all, but they haven’t been developed as a design feature; they’re just lawns. And lawns are not really of any value. If they landscaped these areas, they would have intrinsic value, rather than mere conceptual value only for those who have some understanding of the Griffin plan. And Parkes Way should be on the list too.

About time too. Median strip parking has been a devastating blight on our community for many years. Thank Deity our government overlords have finally started to focus on the big issues. This measure, when combined with the shopping bag ban and the shopping trolley lockup arrangement will surely bring a new wave of peace, enlightenment and prosperity to our community.

Hopefully they will start with the area directly across the road from Old Parliament House.

A bunch of unemployed criminal vagrants have been parking their cars and camping there for years.

It’s certainly got a lot worse in the parly triangle and surrounds. It’s 3 deep around the DFAT carpark now. What a joke, building buildings for people to work in, and nowhere to park. They need to get going on that pay-parking high-rise between DFAT and the moth paddock.

About time. Plenty of nature strip parkers could use the bus, and more people using the bus leads to more services, which makes it easier for more people to use the bus.. and so on.

If there’s not enough car parks in the Triangle perhaps it’s time for pay parking, to sort out the people who -really- need to drive (drop of kids to school, no decent PT) from those for whom it’s convenient, but really no worse off if they cycle/bus/walk to work.(like I used to be, right off Northbourne – but easier to drive when the parking is free).

Perhaps even priced like SFPark (ie dynamic pricing) – now that would be forward thinking… but would we ever see it in Canberra?

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