Aug 05 - GSD Calls On Government To Address Parking Concerns
The GSD says it is acutely aware of the many concerns being expressed about the loss of hundreds of parking spaces in the town area and what it describes as the Government's “apparent lack of planning” to address the short term requirements to alleviate the suffering of those needing to use their vehicles to get to work and make other trips to town.
The party argues that, since the opening of the Commonwealth Park just over a year ago, all the parking facilities at the Old Naval grounds by Reclamation Road have been lost. In addition the car park opposite the Mid Harbours estate was lost to make way for the secondary coach park. More recently, the Wellington Front car park has been lost. The problem, says the Opposition, is now exacerbated by the loss, for several weeks, of the King's Wharf and Romney Huts car parks to make way for the fair.
Selwyn Figueras MP said: 'What is happening is what was expected would happen from the moment this Government took it upon itself to launch into the creation of the Commonwealth Park without making allowances for all the other developments which were scheduled/contemplated in the area. This was not a matter of gazing into a crystal ball - this was a matter of inevitable consequence. As soon as the Government set about failing to deliver the promise of two floors of parking beneath the Commonwealth Park, it was destined to be matter of desperation for the many hundreds of drivers afflicted by this ongoing crisis.
“The problem is not helped either by the scores of abandoned vehicles, along with those used for long term storage, commercial vehicles and vehicles displayed for sale by car dealers occupying the little space which is left over. A walk along Zoca Flank, Landport Ditch, Coaling Island and the Southern end of Queensway will illustrate this point. While the Government may have long term plans to address this issue, there needs to be a short term solution as well. The Opposition therefore renews its call on Government to tell the public what measures it is taking to address the problem in the immediate to short term.”
Louis Wink, speaking for the GSD in this regard, has suggested a variety of steps, which may or may not be workable for reasons potentially known only to the Government, that could be taken to alleviate the difficulties experienced by drivers in the short term. These are his proposals:
- Designate a time limit for vehicles parked in public car parks. This will rid these of abandoned vehicles and those used for storage purposes.
- Restrict the use of the public highway and car parks for dealers using it to display their cars.
- Carry out a campaign for the removal of abandoned vehicles from the public highway.
- Open up the Old Basketball car park next to Landport Ditch, which remains closed.
- Relocate, if possible, the Coach Park opposite the Mid Harbours Estate to the one by the Old airport terminal building thus releasing it back to local citizens
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