❓ Opposition MP questions the government's decision to charge motorcycles for parking at train stations, citing a previous policy that exempted them to reduce congestion. The government defends the fee as a reasonable contribution to parking facilities, arguing it's unsustainable to provide free parking for all train users.
AnsweredQoN 708Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
TRAIN STATIONS — PAID PARKING — MOTORCYCLES
708. Hon KEN TRAVERS to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Transport:
(1) Is the Minister for Transport
aware —
(a) that in 2009
one of his predecessors, Hon Simon O'Brien, abolished the $91 a year Perth parking tax on motorcycle bays in the city; and
(b) in abolishing
the tax, Hon Simon O'Brien said he did so '' in recognition of the role that motorcycles play in
reducing traffic congestion'' and further said, ''Motorcycles do
not add to traffic congestion and use very little space when parking''?
Did Hon Simon O'Brien say something? I think his colleagues now call
him the finest Liberal minister in a decade. I will continue —
(2) Can the
Minister for Transport explain why his government now wants to charge
motorcycles or scooters $2 a day, or $520 a year, to park at train stations?
(3) Will not this
new policy simply discourage people from riding motorcycles to train stations
and therefore add to congestion?
(4) Given that
motorcycles take up significantly less space than a car, why are they being
charged the same rate as a car?
708. Hon KEN TRAVERS to the
parliamentary secretary representing the Minister for Transport:
(1) Is the Minister for Transport
aware —
(a) that in 2009
one of his predecessors, Hon Simon O'Brien, abolished the $91 a year Perth parking tax on motorcycle bays in the city; and
(b) in abolishing
the tax, Hon Simon O'Brien said he did so '' in recognition of the role that motorcycles play in
reducing traffic congestion'' and further said, ''Motorcycles do
not add to traffic congestion and use very little space when parking''?
Did Hon Simon O'Brien say something? I think his colleagues now call
him the finest Liberal minister in a decade. I will continue —
(2) Can the
Minister for Transport explain why his government now wants to charge
motorcycles or scooters $2 a day, or $520 a year, to park at train stations?
(3) Will not this
new policy simply discourage people from riding motorcycles to train stations
and therefore add to congestion?
(4) Given that
motorcycles take up significantly less space than a car, why are they being
charged the same rate as a car?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of this question.
(1) (a)–(b)
Yes. It should be noted that motorcyclists are still required to pay for
parking in most parts of the city, although at a reduced rate. That payment for
motorcycle parking has always been a requirement in the paid areas of
Transperth car parks, but there has been a difficulty in enforcing this
requirement due to the need to display a paper ticket. The new SmartParker
solution overcomes this issue.
(2) On a typical
weekday, there are approximately 120 000 individual rail passengers on the
Transperth system, which reflects the 240 000 to 250 000 daily total rail
boardings. The vast majority of people who currently use the rail network
arrive at stations by bus, as Kiss 'n' Ride car passengers or
by walking or cycling. Although there has been a substantial investment in
parking facilities, with 20 000 car bays located throughout the network, it is
clearly not sustainable to provide a parking bay for every train user; indeed,
it would be impossible. In a sense, those people who get to use the Park 'n'
Ride facilities are getting a higher level of service because the wider
community and the taxpayer are providing the land, car park facility and
security arrangements. It is only reasonable, therefore, that some modest cost
should be paid to use these facilities. In this sense, motorcyclists are no
different from other users.
(3) No.
Motorcycle riders choose to use this mode of transport for a variety of
reasons, and assuming cost is one factor, this will still represent the
cheapest mode of transport—notwithstanding the new modest parking fee.
(4) See answer to
(2), noting, for example, that the fee applying to motorcycle users at Perth
Airport is no different from the fee charged for cars.
some notice of this question.
(1) (a)–(b)
Yes. It should be noted that motorcyclists are still required to pay for
parking in most parts of the city, although at a reduced rate. That payment for
motorcycle parking has always been a requirement in the paid areas of
Transperth car parks, but there has been a difficulty in enforcing this
requirement due to the need to display a paper ticket. The new SmartParker
solution overcomes this issue.
(2) On a typical
weekday, there are approximately 120 000 individual rail passengers on the
Transperth system, which reflects the 240 000 to 250 000 daily total rail
boardings. The vast majority of people who currently use the rail network
arrive at stations by bus, as Kiss 'n' Ride car passengers or
by walking or cycling. Although there has been a substantial investment in
parking facilities, with 20 000 car bays located throughout the network, it is
clearly not sustainable to provide a parking bay for every train user; indeed,
it would be impossible. In a sense, those people who get to use the Park 'n'
Ride facilities are getting a higher level of service because the wider
community and the taxpayer are providing the land, car park facility and
security arrangements. It is only reasonable, therefore, that some modest cost
should be paid to use these facilities. In this sense, motorcyclists are no
different from other users.
(3) No.
Motorcycle riders choose to use this mode of transport for a variety of
reasons, and assuming cost is one factor, this will still represent the
cheapest mode of transport—notwithstanding the new modest parking fee.
(4) See answer to
(2), noting, for example, that the fee applying to motorcycle users at Perth
Airport is no different from the fee charged for cars.
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