Congested streets lead Labor to announce parking plans
LONG-suffering users of a train station on Brisbane’s northside have been promised a multi-storey car park if Labor wins the federal election.
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PARKING at Northgate rail station is a nightmare for commuters, who say you need to get in early or be prepared for a long walk.
But relief may be in sight, with Labor announcing plans for a new $7 million multi-storey car park if elected at the next federal election.
The announcement was made on today by Member for Lilley Wayne Swan, Labor candidate for the seat Anika Wells and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development Anthony Albanese.
The LNP was contacted for a comment but did not respond by close of business today.
Wavell Heights resident Kelly Hurford, who drives to Northgate Station to park and catch the train, said it was impossible to find a park after 8.30am on weekdays.
“If I have a late appointment I usually can’t get a park,” she said.
“You have to park a mile away which is not ideal, especially if you’re coming back at night.”
“I am a big supporter of public transport and if there are more parks, more people will be able to use it,” Ms Hurford said.
Virginia resident Rosie Campbell agreed there was a need for more parking spaces.
“I have been using the Northgate station for the last 18 months and I find you have to get in quite early,” she said.
“I get in around 6.20am and there aren’t very many parks.
“After 7.30am you have to be prepared to walk about half a street to get to the station. They’d have to add so much more parking but I’m all for it.”
Ms Wells said a multi-storey carpark was needed to accommodate the large number of people wanting to park at the station and to ease congestion in surrounding streets.
“Something like 750 people come through here every day from as far as Redcliffe to park and there are only 377 parking spaces, so we know we’ve got to go up with a multi-storey carpark,” she said.
“We will be working on plans for this with the Queensland Government if Labor is elected.”
The plans to upgrade Northgate station come after Labor’s announcement for Cross River Rail which includes a $2.4 billion upgrade to the Queensland rail network.
Mr Albanese said the station was the third, after Mango Hill and Narangba, in what would be a series of announcements to improve parking on Brisbane’s northside as part of Labor’s $300 million National Park and Ride Fund.
“Labor, federally, will deliver $7 million for the upgrading of parking facilities here at Northgate,” he said.
“It’s a priority for a range of reasons. We know that some 36 per cent of commuters who travel into the city from this station come from the surrounding suburbs.
“We know that Park ‘n’ Ride facilities are very important for increasing access to public transport and we know that this is particularly the norm in growing cities, such as here in Brisbane.”
Mr Swan said the station was in desperate need of the upgrade.
“Just look around the streets here in Northgate, they are absolutely crowded with cars that are parked by people walking up to the station, so this Park’n’Ride is desperately needed here, right now,” he said.
There is currently a partial closure involving 10 parking spaces at one of the four Park ‘n’ Ride sites at the station due to the construction of a new Queensland Police Service outpost, which has made parking even harder.
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