Multi Story Car Park

Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 9:13 pm Post subject: Multi Story Car Park

I think this topic needs a thread all to itself. It is a pretty hot topic and I think that it will be a major issue with this new council.

I would like to see a new car park built if it was built by a private company in conjunction with an apartment block or hotel it would be great idea. I would not like to see the council spend lots of money on a car park which would have to charge massive fees to park there. It would only be used by a small amount of the population and would not give ratepayers the benefits for the money spent.

Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:38 am Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

We need to see the figures.

How much us the current car park costing the ratepayers?

Do we really need a new car park?

Is it just a few traders agitating that keeps this on eh councils agaenda?

Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:21 am Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

i think we need a park that can cater for all day parking
i have been in the situation where i got a fine because i didn't have change for a meter. i went into my shop to get change and was out in about 1 min to find a ticket on my car.
this was ridiculously quick and i believe i was set up.

this gestapo behavior needs to stop or we will have nobody coming to shop.

there is a new building being built in forest st soon. maybe the council could come to some arrangement with the owner to add some parking there.

Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 3:05 pm Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

You are right huwjon, this will be a test of this councils new promised transparent decision making policy.

Scottw - All day parking would only be used by people working in the CBD. Shoppers only spend a couple of hours at most in town for their shopping needs. If workers want an all day parking system which is cheap, convenient and easily accessible then I have to bring up the park an d ride system again. It is a proven method of reducing traffic congestion. Have four car parks, all on either side of the centre of Bendigo. the Lake Weeroona rowing club car park, Golden Square Train station (Would need to be upgraded and could service with buses or trains), Harry Trott Oval in Kennington and the hockey reserve carpark in Ironbark. These are not great distances away from the CBD so buses would be able to continuously serve these car parks every 15 or so minutes. Lighting and security cameras would need to be installed but this cost is nothing when compared to building a designated car park in the centre of town. Would someone please tell me why this wouldn't work?

Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

The only problems I can see is

a) would people use it and
b) the cosy of running such a scheme

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:06 pm Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

partly true it would enable people to park and stay in town for the day
ie shopping, lunch and more shopping

the biggest thing for me is the ability to leave somewhere quickly if i need to
parking close is better for this reason. if my kids ring i need to be quick.
don't want to wait for buses or whatever.
building and maintaining four parking areas would probably cost more in the long run and
bring in less revenue aswell.

Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:34 am Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

I think the main thing is to complete a study to determine which is the best alternative. Should we:

a) Build a new multi-storey carpark which can cost millions of dollars and anywhere from $5000 to $15,000 per car space

b) Introduce more buses that run direct routes, every 15 minutes and are cheap to use.

c) Implement a park and ride system which I have detailed previously.

d) Improve bike paths, install shower, locker and changing facilities in the CBD or

e) A combination of all of these ideas.

We can not let this council just blaze away and spend all of our money on a multi storey car park. We should be trying to reduce our dependence on cars and alternative methods of transport more often. Buses, bikes, trams, bikes, motorized scooters all are better for our city and people have to wake up and see that. We are only dependent on cars because we choose to be. we can change how we get around.

Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:53 pm Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

unfortunately our dependence on cars will not end
we are sprawled out over many hundred square km and need to access things in town.
you will never get buses to run every 15 min. plus it would cost a fortune having empty buses running.
carpooling never worked either.
people like their own space and comfort.

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:52 am Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

Why cant our dependence on cars end? Attitudes have to change if we want to improve our City. If buses ran every 15 minutes and the cost of car parking in the CBD was excessive then people would use buses.

Today's Bendigo Weekly has an article which promotes the Bendigo Traders Associations idea of introducing free parking from now until Christmas.

"BTA president Neil Athorn said he was surprised to learn council made $2.4 million a year out of parking meters alone.
“If that is the case they will be able to build a multi-storey car park and it will only take them a few years to save for it,” he said. " -

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I would ask Mr. Athorn how he gets to work every morning. Assuming he has a business in the CBD if he drives every day then that is one more car park the could be left free for a potential customer. Imagine if all the CBD traders caught public transport to their place of work. How many car parks would be left for the shoppers. The $2.4 Million that would be saved each year by not building a car park could be spent on public transport initiatives.

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

Just off subject and i thought you all should know I met Kevin Rudd when he came to Bendigo he has the softest hands you can tell he has never had a hard days work or tax payers are paying for a very good manicurist (my wife's hands are rougher) I forgot to ask him to hop in and have a chat sorry

Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 2:58 pm Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

i think K Rud is a brilliant PM
if you look into his past you will see that he has worked for what he has.
including menial work

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:55 am Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

I see Mayor Gibbons has put the multi story car park back on the agenda. As I have said before I am in favor of it if it incorporates apartments and isn't going to cost ratepayers a single cent. It should be a user pays system. I think we should concentrate more on improving public transport services and providing more facilities for cyclists. attitudes to driving have to change.

Posted: Sat Jan 10, 2009 9:03 am Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

its hard to argue but logistics will be a nightmare.
i know if i rode in (which id love to do) i would need a shower before starting. means longer days for most.

user pays is not a bad idea.
as i have previousely said there is a building going up in forest st that the council should discuss underground parking with the owners.
this is close, would not be an isore, and does not take up other areas.

hope we get a decision soon as this is taking too long.

Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:10 am Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

Facilites should be provided in the CBD for cyclists to store their bikes, shower and change into work clothes. This would be so great for the cycling community and for workers in the CBD.

Steps should be taken now as to reduce our dependence on cars for transport. can we not learn from Melbourne the lessons of public transport nightmares. If ample public transport is provided it will be used. If we stop providing car parks or make it expensive to park then people will stop driving into town.

There has been a lot of criticism lately from various parties regarding council projects such as walk bendigo, the 90 degree parking, no parking and the Mall. I think we need to look at our best interests and not what the CBD traders want us too think. For example we hear repeated biased reports from the "Bendigo Weekly" about the need for a new car park and that we are "not like Europe". People fail to realise that the Weekly is owned and operated by local real estate agents who are all predominately located in the Bendigo CBD. It is their best interests that a Multi Story car park is built in the CBD. There needs to be a public forum where the negatives and benefits of the proposed scheme can be debated. The Bendigo Weekly is effectively lobbying the public and swaying public opinion.

My plan for the city would be to not build another car park, increase the amount of pick up and drop off car parks closer to town, make public transport more effective by increase services, utilize the trams as a public transport system, bike shower and lock facilities as stated previously, park and ride facilities, reimbursement of registration from the council for owning a motorbike or scooter to promote increased personal transport use and the extension of walk Bendigo.

Thats my say for now.

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2009 8:45 pm Post subject: Re: Multi Story Car Park

The Bendigo Council has voted in favour of starting this city on its slippery slope to oblivion.

David Jones has done his math on this one on his blog at the Bendigo Weekly. Although it was wrong he had the right idea.

The creation of the new 523 carparks at of a cost of $16million works out at $30500 per car park. Over a thrity year life of the car park this is $1020 dollars a year which must be made from every car park. Assuming that the car park is used 365 days of the year it works out at approximately $3 a day. However it has to be noted that this does not include the running and maintenance costs of the carpark, the fact the car park will not be at 100% capacity all of the time and the the benifits that the $16million could provide if spent on worthwhile projects.

Am I the only one in this city which is against the idea.

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