Pagurian Pty Ltd

The problem with parking in the CBD is not the number of spaces or the proposed price increase, it is the history of free or almost free parking. By artificially divorcing the price from the demand for parking Councils all over Australia have encouraged cars to dominate cities. By charging a low price regardless of demand, the demand so outstrips the supply that in some cities 30% of the traffic is simply driving around looking for a park. The price for parking should be set at a rate which ensures that a certain percentage of spaces is always available. This is what other leading cities are doing with great success. Where the services, shops and other popular attractions lead to a high demand for parking, the price is set higher. This increased revenue is then ploughed back into the area from which it came. This results in pedestrian friendly streets with beautiful landscapes funded by revenue from parking.