[Peakoil] Draft ACT Parking Strategy for public comment

[Alex P]

Draft ACT Parking Strategy for public comment

ACT Planning Minister Simon Corbell has today released a Draft Parking
Strategy for the ACT for public comment over the next eight weeks.

 

“The Draft ACT Parking Strategy is an integral component of the Sustainable
Transport Plan, which upholds the ACT’s Government’s vision of a more
sustainable Canberra by encouraging people to shift towards using more
environmentally friendly transport alternatives,” he said.

 

“However, because of Canberra’s reliance on the motor vehicle, providing an
adequate supply of parking is essential to ensure the continuing growth and
development of the city, town centres and other employment locations.

 

“The Draft Parking Strategy presents a medium-term to long-term parking
framework, aimed to strike a balance between parking supply, demand for
parking and the price of parking in the ACT.

 

“Adoption of the Draft Parking Strategy will ensure an increase in parking
spaces in Canberra over the next 15 to 20 years, which meets the needs of
people travelling to the City and other major centres while encouraging more
sustainable transport initiatives.”

 

Future development will see:

·        an additional 6,000 or more parking spaces provided in the City
over the next few years (including those now open to the public on Section
84 City – the Canberra Centre’s expansion) as well as the identification of
five potential sites for new multi-storey and basement car parks that will
generally form part of integrated development opportunities;

·        in the order of 1,900 additional parking spaces to meet parking
demand at Woden Town Centre, through a combination of new developments,
redevelopments and redesign of car parks, of which about 500 are expected to
be available in the next few months; and, 

·        additional parking spaces to accommodate demand from developments
at Tuggeranong Town Centre, including 1,100 in the new Centrelink offices
and an option of market testing commercial interest for providing parking
structures.

 

“For the present, the level of parking in Belconnen and Gungahlin Town
Centres is adequate to meet demand.  The ACT Government will monitor
developments in those centres to ensure that an adequate supply of parking
is maintained, particularly for short-stay parking,” Mr Corbell said.

 

“Future development of the surface carpark west of the Belconnen Aquatic
Centre will replace the existing on-site parking, as well as providing for
parking generated by the development and redevelopment of the remaining
parts of the old Cameron Offices for the Australian Bureau of Statistics
will see a further 350 spaces provided on-site for employees, most of whom
are already located in Belconnen.

   

“The strategy also encourages opportunities for structured carparking in the
Barton area, however, this is subject to a change in policy by Commonwealth
Departments towards paid parking for their employees.”

 

Generally, the strategy will:

·        allow for an increase in the number of parking spaces in the ACT,
but the rate of increase will decline over time;

·        provide more short-stay parking to support the growth in
commercial, business and service activities in the future. Total supply of
long-stay parking will gradually decline in the future, to maximise the
efficiency and usage of parking facilities, while encouraging commuters to
change to more sustainable transport alternatives to access the city and
town centres;

·        adopt a more flexible range of parking allowances to enable the
market to help determine the provision of parking facilities for residential
and office developments; and,

·        establish a new funding method for parking provisions, which
involves the development of a Sustainable Transport Contribution Fund by
which developers may make discretionary financial contributions that can be
used for a wide range of access-related infrastructure and services,
including off-site parking, in lieu of a proportion of required on-site
parking spaces.

 

“The ACT Government will also implement a mix of parking schemes, to
encourage short-term parking and shared usage, and sustainable transport
initiatives to encourage commuters to shift their travel modes to cycling,
walking or public transport,” Mr Corbell said.

 

The Draft ACT Parking Strategy will be available for public comment from 1st
March 2007 to 30th April 2007. Copies of the Draft Parking Strategy will be
available from the ACT Planning and Land Authority’s Customer Service
Centre, 16 Challis Street, Dickson, or online at the Authority’s website at:
www.actpla.act.gov.au

 

  

Statement Ends/ 1st March 2007

Media Contact:   Monika Boogs      6205 0497(w) 0419 423 603(m)       
monika.boogs at act.gov.au