Gold Coast parking crunch: Why you can no longer get a spot

Think you know where to get a car park on the Gold Coast? Think again. But there’s a way out of this mess, writes Ann Wason Moore.

There are no hoverboards, no Deloreans and no self-lacing shoes … but Back to the Future almost got one thing right.

While Doc predicted no one would need roads in the future, the reality could well be that no one will need cars … because there will simply be nowhere left to park them.

Determined to do the right thing last week and pick up our takeaway meal rather than use Uber Eats, I was shocked to discover that our humble neighbourhood shopping centre was absolutely packed with not a single parking spot to spare.

This is the same centre that recently introduced paid parking - an announcement at which I publicly scoffed, so I guess my takeaway now comes with a side of humble pie.

Instead, I had to park across busy Markeri Street to access my dinner, a four-lane hop in which I saw not only my life flash before my eyes, but also a vision of the Coast to come.

It was a vision where traffic might be tragic, but parking will be apocalyptic.

I’ve seen similar glimpses since, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when cars flood our suburban streets as Nobby’s diners search ever further from that precinct for a parking spot.

Over on the beachside of Mermaid and Nobby’s, you’re hard-pressed to find on-street parking at any time of any day. And don’t even bother with Burleigh.

Finding a car park at the local shopping centre has got a whole lot harder courtesy of population growth.

It used to be the only time I’d struggle for a park was at Pacific Fair during the Christmas crunch, but those days are long gone with the stratospheric growth of the Gold Coast.

So while I understand why council plans to impose three-hour restrictions between Mermaid Beach and Burleigh for light rail Stage 3 are causing concern, I can also see the method behind this so-called madness.

The local law aims to prevent light rail commuters from driving to this corridor and parking outside the homes of residents – and yes, one of those homes is mine.

The City’s proposed Traffic Area would see a three-hour time limit from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, unless otherwise signed, and excluding public holidays, consistent

with the existing Bundall/Chevron Island and Central Traffic Areas.

Council officers said residents living within the proposed traffic area may have access to a parking permit subject to eligibility criteria.

It’s that last point that is the most important. So long as permits are made readily available to all residents, I don’t have a huge issue with this parking plan.

However, having said that, we are fortunate to have enough off-street parking to cater for our family.

The light rail provides an alternative form of transportation to beat the traffic, but it’s mostly not a park-and-ride option.

But no matter what is decided when it comes to this parking plan, the truth is that all residents must start considering a future where we don’t drive everywhere.

I’m not being an alarmist, just a realist.

The light rail certainly provides an alternative form of transportation to beat the traffic, but people have yet to realise that – with the exception of car parks at Parkwood and Helensvale – this is not a park-and-ride option.

The light rail is in the model of London’s Tube or New York’s Subway, it’s for people, not parking. We don’t ask why every bus stop doesn’t have a carpark, we assume users will use their legs, bicycles, rideshare or other public transportation to make the connections.

Light rail stations should not be built like an airport, with acres of land used to build multi-storey garages.

And with light rail stations positioned on prime beachside land, would we even want that anyway? Instead, let’s start thinking about how we will move around this city without cars. The light rail is great (in my opinion), but it is only the start. What other connections will we need and how will we access them when driving is no longer the most convenient option?

While I can’t yet see the day where we are completely carless, we could certainly aim for less cars. Even though that will mean more effort on a personal level, the rewards would be rich – less petrol to pay for, less rego and insurance costs, more space in our homes.

And, best of all, no more endlessly searching for a park.

Now that’s a future I can believe in.