Brisbane public transport: Altandi train station commuters fined
Commuters are being slapped with hefty parking fines around a popular train station on Brisbane’s southside, with little to no sympathy from authorities.
Southeast
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COMMUTERS are being slapped with $130 parking fines around a popular train station on Brisbane’s southside with no sympathy from authorities.
Parking limits are being enforced regularly near Sunnybank’s Altandi Station in a bid to stop commuters clogging suburban streets.
No Parking signs, which are in effect from 7am-9am Monday to Friday, were erected in Wana, Tarrawonga, Lampson, and Maud streets by council late last year.
NEW PARK ‘N’ RIDE STATION FOR BRISBANE
With pre-existing parking restrictions also in effect in nearby streets Alconah, Shearwin and Trudgian.
Brisbane City Council remains tight-lipped as to how many infringement notices have been issued over the past year.
Sunnybank resident Chris Seen told the Southern Star the parking limits had not deterred commuters from the area.
“Commuters who arrive after 9am or have changed their start times now have an opportunity to park legally,” he said.
“Parking numbers have not declined at all in fact there is an apparent increase in numbers.”
Residents near the station have battled the parking overflow problem since 2014, when the train timetable changed to make Altandi the main station between Loganlea and Park Road on the Gold Coast/Airport express service.
The change was made to improve connectivity with bus services to the CBD, University of Queensland and Griffith University.
Prior to that the stop was nearby Coopers Plains.
“Commuters parking at Altandi are still feeling the pain of the State Government omitting Altandi from its Park ‘n’ Ride upgrade program … and are now being hit with parking fines of $130 for each act of illegal parking,” Mr Seen said.
“The Brisbane City Council is the beneficiary of the State Government’s decision to overlook an upgrade to the commuter Park ‘n’ Ride at Altandi.
According to a right to information request by public transport advocacy group Rail Back on Track, passenger numbers have more than doubled at Altandi Station since 2012 — the biggest growth in southeast Queensland.
Mr Seen, who runs Chris Seen Photography, said the recent BCC parking restrictions implemented were proving a “boon to council revenue with a large number of infringement notices being issued for breach of parking regulations”.
“This can be commuters parking in the no parking marked areas, parking on yellow lines, across driveways or facing the direction of travel just some of the many infringements that occur in the precinct,” Mr Seen said.
Brisbane City Councillor Kim Marx (Runcorn ward) told the Southern Star she had implemented the parking restrictions to help residents so they could get in and out of their driveways.
But she said the onus was on State Government to fix the overall parking problem at Altandi Station.
“State Government needs to step up and do what they are elected to do,” Cr Marx said.
ALP State Member for Toohey Peter Russo said there were alternatives available to Altandi Station parking and the Palaszczuk Government was working hard to improve the public transport system inclusive of additional Park ‘n’ Rides already.
“Receiving a ticket for illegal parking is the appropriate course of action,” he said.
“The suggestion put forward by Councillor Kim Marx to build another Park ‘n’ Ride is completely impractical as there is nowhere to be able to do that in the vicinity of Altandi Station.
“The Palaszczuk Government has committed to building the Park n Ride facility at Salisbury providing approximately an additional 300 car spaces in addition to the Undercover car park provided by the Queensland Government at the Netball Centre on Mains Road.”
A Brisbane City Council spokeswoman said parking contrary to a No Stopping or No Parking sign could attract a $130 fine.
“Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School is on Brisbane City Council’s Term One School Zone Enforcement Program, with regular, high-visibility patrols undertaken in the surrounding area during school hours,” she said.
“Illegal parking is one of council’s most common inquiries, with about 70,000 complaints a year, including requests for council to respond immediately with enforcement.
“Council takes a tough stance on illegal parking as it can create a safety risk or restrict access for emergency vehicles, cyclists, taxis, commercial vehicles, wheelchairs or prams.
Residents who feel they may have been incorrectly or unfairly fined are able to make use of Council’s three-stage appeals process by contacting council’s 24 hour contact centre on 3403 8888.
A TransLink spokesman said: “Altandi Train Station had become an attractive interchange and boarding location for rail services.
“This is because Gold Coast trains stop there regularly and high frequency, all-day bus routes 130 and 140 also connect there,” he said.
“Altandi Train Station has 87 car parks and is also serviced by several local feeder buses. “Transfers between bus and rail have grown by 25 per cent since 2014.
“Acquiring school land for a park ‘n’ ride expansion is not currently under consideration.
“The Queensland Government is committed to improving park ‘n’ ride facilities, with more than 30,000 spaces available across the southeast Queensland network and a $114 million investment to deliver another 2300 new spaces.”
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