Council issue three times as many fines as Redcliffe Hospital introduces paid parking
A new $23.7 million multistorey carpark, with the cheapest hospital parking rates in southeast Queensland, is sitting mostly empty while parking in the streets surrounding this busy location are jam-packed. WATCH THE VIDEO
Moreton
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The number of parking fines issued to people parking illegally in streets surrounding Redcliffe Hospital has tripled since the new $23.7 million multistorey car park opened but it isn’t because the carpark is full.
Redcliffe Hospital’s new multistorey carpark opened on September 21 bringing the total number of car park spaces available to 1100, 50 per cent more than what was available previously.
Parking at the hospital was previously free.
First look at new multistorey carpark
Residents fear more congestion when paid parking starts
Redcliffe Hospital carpark construction delayed
A fee has now been introduced in order to cover construction costs – but the rate is the cheapest of any southeast Queensland public hospital.
Staff, visitors and patients have to pay just $5 for visits lasting 1-2 hours.
All day parking is capped at $13.
But driving through the carpark at 8.30am on Wednesday there were still plenty of spaces available in the carpark, with the top levels basically empty.
The Redcliffe Herald asked Metro North Health, on average, what capacity the hospital car park had reached each day since it opened.
It did not provide any figures.
“Our car parks are being well used, with plenty of spaces still available each day, even at times of peak demand,” a Redcliffe Hospital spokesman said.
Meanwhile the streets surrounding the hospital remain packed – leaving residents frustrated.
A Moreton Bay Regional Council spokesman said council was investigating the impact of the new paid for hospital parking on surrounding streets.
“Council will make a decision to remove or add further parking restrictions once conditions settle and there is a reduction in complaints made by residents regarding off-street parking matters in the area,” the spokesman said.
Between September 1 and October 16 council issued 93 parking infringement notices for parking offences in streets surrounding the hospital.
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Council issued a total of 107 notices between July 1 and September 1 2020.
Shane Christall, who lives in a street across the road from the hospital, said the new multistorey carpark had not solved the parking woes on surrounding streets.
He leaves for work at 7.30am and said the street was “chockers” on both sides.
“It has eased a little bit but not enough, it still flows all the way back onto Knight St, it has not had much of an effect.”
Mr Christall wants Moreton Bay Regional Council to put in place a parking permit scheme for residents, similar to the one used in streets surrounding the train line.
“There are no standing signs down one side of the street, near the Paceway, I thought council would be proactive and provide similar in other streets but there as been no action at all,” he said.
Mr Christall has had to call police and council multiple times after witnessing cars back into other cars to get a park, or parking across driveways.
“It is out of control and when you call (council) it takes them hours or sometimes days to respond and by that time the car is gone,” he said.
Mr Christall said it was not just the inconvenience of being unable to park on the street but a safety issue.
“When coming out of my own driveway you have to nose the car out, you can’t see down the street if any cars are coming,” he said.
Mr Christall said he would be happy to pay an annual fee for a parking permit scheme.
Trudi Brewer also lives in a street across from the hospital.
She said by 7am the street was lined with cars.
“It is really bad and it can be difficult to get out of the driveway,” she said.
“Other neighbours have had cars parked across their driveway.
“I thought the new carpark might ease the problem but it hasn’t.
“Other streets including Knight St are now starting to fill up, it is just crazy.”
Ms Brewer said a solution could be to mark out designated parking spaces on the road.