Is there a problem with Brisbane Council planning to increase the number of parking meters around the city fringes from 3750 to 9000? Surely not, after all who could blame them for looking to new revenue streams given the testing year we’ve all just had.

One point to note is that the majority of Pubs and Clubs will admit to relying on poker machine revenue to keep them going. Perhaps some Councils could improve their public image by taking a lead from the Pubs and Clubs.

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Brisbane Times – Council calls time: Brisbane parking meters to double

Author: Tony Moore / Wednesday, 4^th November 2009

The number of parking meters in Brisbane’s inner city will more than double under council plans to push out free parking on the CBD’s fringe.

The overhaul would see the council’s 3750 parking meters increase to 9000 and a tightening of the current residential parking permit scheme, which gives exemptions to city fringe residents who do not have access to off-street parking.

Demand for inner-city curb space and the alleged abuse of the current parking permit system is behind the push, however the council’s Labor Opposition has accused Campbell Newman’s ruling LNP of revenue raising.

“What is unstated is that this is about parking meter revenue and reducing the number of parking permits that will exempt residents from having to pay for meters. That is what it is all about,” Labor’s Cr David Hinchliffe told a council meeting late yesterday.

In the 2008-2009 financial year, 2900 Brisbane parking meters earned $7.5 million. Since July, about 800 more meters have been installed in the inner-city. About 5200 meters would be added under the changes.

The new meters have been earmarked for Herston, Bowen Hills, Kelvin Grove, Teneriffe and Newstead.

The council’s Labor Opposition has labelled the expansion plan a “grab for cash.”

However, LNP Deputy Mayor Graham Quirk told the meeting at City Hall the misuse of inner-city parking permits had forced the council to act.

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said permits – which allow residents to park on inner-city streets without having to pay parking meters or pay parking fines – were being photocopied, given to neighbours and sold for up to $10 each in suburbs such as Woolloongabba.

“There are plenty of examples of that. There are examples in Councillor [Helen] Abraham’s [The Gabba] ward of people photocopying permits and things like that,” Cr Newman said.

“There is an issue and it needs to be dealt with.”

Currently, about 19,000 parking permits are issued to residents, most of them in the suburbs of Woolloongabba, Dutton Park, West End, Bowen Hills, Fortitude Valley, Kangaroo Point and St Lucia.

Under questioning from his Labor opponents, Cr Quirk admitted council officers had recommended charging permit holders a $10 administration fee but Civic Cabinet had dismissed the idea on Monday.

“There was a proposal for fees that was put up as part of a submission and it was rejected,” Cr Quirk said.

“The point of the matter is that the fees that were part of that submission could only come about because of a Labor law which was introduced under the signature of Cr Hinchliffe some years ago.”

Cr Quirk said Labor councillors in 1996 passed a local law giving the council the ability to charge permit fees of up to $70, or $210 for a second permit.

“That was the provisions that Labor were going to be introducing into the Robertson/MacGregor traffic area plan,” he told the meeting.

Cr Hinchliffe said no fees had ever been charged.

“For the last 14 or 15 years since that parking scheme was implemented…there has not been one brass razoo extracted from residents in the way of a parking fee.”

Cr Newman accused the ALP of “crying wolf” over the parking scheme.

“This is good public policy. It is really only an add-on to what they proposed many years ago, which they are now disowning at rate of knots and it should be supported by them and all members of the council this afternoon.”

The new policy was backed 16 votes to 10, with Labor councillors opposing the change.