Hornsby Mayor Philip Ruddock plans to stop Central Coast commuters parking in local streets
HE orchestrated the ‘Stop the Boats’ policy as Federal Liberal immigration minister now, as Hornsby Mayor, Philip Ruddock wants to turn back carloads of out-of-town commuters choking local streets.
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AS immigration minister he was the architect of Australia’s first stop-the-boats policy — now as Hornsby’s new mayor Philip Ruddock wants to turn back carloads of out-of-town commuters choking local streets.
The former Howard government stalwart’s hardline stance is aimed at hordes of daily asylum-seekers from the Central Coast, fleeing crowds and congestion across the other side of the Hawkesbury.
Many commuters from the Coast prefer to make the 50-minute drive to Sydney’s northern outskirts, where they park and catch the train to complete their journey to jobs in the city.
It’s a situation that’s replicated at other outlying suburban stations in Sydney’s west and southwest because of a dire shortage of commuter carparks in rapidly growing suburbs.
But Mr Ruddock, elected mayor in September, believes locals should have the right to determine which motorists should park in their suburb and the circumstances in which they come.
He is threatening tough new parking restrictions to deter unwanted arrivals “continually denying” a park to locals at Berowra, Beecroft, Pennant Hills and Cheltenham stations.
“This is a question of fairness,” he said.
“People who live at Berowra Heights, for example, are being denied parking because commuters from the Central Coast are taking up spots.”
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As a Howard Cabinet member from 1996 to 2007, Mr Ruddock was a key player in stifling the people-smuggling trade through controversial policies such as turning back the boats and temporary protection visas.
“It’s not as though there’s not carparking for commuters in these other areas.” - Hornsby Mayor Philip Ruddock
He said he believed there was a financial motive for Central Coast commuters to drive to Hornsby where the train fares were cheaper.
“I understand people have budgetary needs, but (Central Coast commuters) saving money (by parking in the Hornsby shire) is denying locals,” he said. “It’s a big problem for locals. We will consider imposing local parking restrictions and charge nonresidents of the shire.”
But Central Coast commuters who face four-hour round trips each day to work, have hit back, arguing there is not enough commuter car parking to go around in their region and driving to Hornsby saved time but not money.
Abby Jones drives from Bateau Bay to Berowra to catch the train for work at Olympic Park because she can never get a carpark at her nearest station in Tuggerah after 6.30am on weekdays.
“I actually save 40 minutes in my commuting day by doing this,” the 35-year-old said. “I’ve got two young girls and I’d rather spend that time with them.”
Central Coast Liberal parliamentary secretary Scot MacDonald concedes the commuter carparking shortage is a “big pressure point”.
“You won’t get a contradiction from me about this,” he said.
“The problem is not confined to northern Sydney and the Central Coast with pressure across the city on carparking at satellite stations such as Penrith.
The state government is responding with a building program to add extra carpark capacity at more than ten stations including another 430 spaces at Penrith, and a parliamentary inquiry into the problem is underway with evidence of a surge in demand in the west as Sydney’s population grows.
“Schofields station services a rapidly expanding population in the middle of the northwest growth areas, including the new developments in the Ponds and Schofields itself,” local MP Michelle Rowland said.
“Increasingly, commuters from new housing areas in Riverstone are also using Schofields station.”
A study by the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils found significant rail deficits in the west with fewer than 10 per cent of residents in Penrith, Liverpool and Camden living within walking distance of a train station.
Even the state government’s newest rail jewel — the $8 billion North West Sydney Metro, which will have 4000 carparking spots along its route — has been criticised for underestimating demand.
“Residents think it is a natural happening that you drive to a train station and that Castle Hill station will have a large carpark but that is not the case,” Hills Shire councillor Robyn Preston said.
Latest transport data shows stations on the Inner West Line resemble Third World conditions with Newtown running at nearly double capacity (180 per cent) and Redfern fractionally less at 135 per cent around 8.30am on weekdays.
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The Bureau of Transport Statistics considers trains operating at 135 per cent of capacity as “uncomfortable” and causing delays.
The state government is about to introduce an overhaul of timetables across the rail and bus network, which it says will help to meet rising demand.
Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the timetable changes would lead to an increase in turn-up-and-go services across the Sydney network.