Editorial: CBD parking cost increases quite justified

Most bus routes and all train services converge on the city centre. Photo / File

The prospect of a 40 per cent hike in charges at Auckland Transport's inner-city car parking buildings has brought howls of anguish, which should tell Auckland Transport it is on to a winner.

If city commuters are ever to be enticed to leave cars at home and use public transport, it will take more than a petrol tax or road toll or a congestion charge. Those are costs most drivers would probably pay rather than give up the convenience of their car. But a parking charge is different. When it rises from $17 to $24 a day from next month, many drivers might decide that paying $120 a week on top of their petrol is not worth it.

The Automobile Association describes the increase as "a kick in the teeth" for drivers. Its spokesman, Barney Irvine, does not think it fair. "Many commuters don't have a choice about how they get to work," he argued. "Public transport isn't a viable alternative for them. Maybe they need to drop the kids off on the way to work, maybe they need to pick the kids up after work, maybe they don't live anywhere near the rail corridor or bus routes. Auckland is a place where people live and work all over the city."

The last point is true - it is the reason Auckland is hard to serve with public transport. But the central business district, where the new car parking charges are to apply, is the one part of Auckland that is well served by public transport. Critics would say it is well served to a fault. Most bus routes and all train services converge on the city centre, though most daily commuters do not work there.

Those who do cannot convincingly argue that public transport is not available. A bus stop, if not a train station, will be a short walk away. Their journey might involve a wait at the stop, a crowded bus, a transfer at some point, delays, breakdowns, any number of the frustrations reported by regular customers of Auckland Transport, but there is a service. It is no wonder many commuters prefer to endure traffic congestion in a car but they would not have that option if there were no all-day parking facilities in the city.

Auckland's city centre is slowly being made more pleasant for strolling, shopping, meeting, eating, drinking and enjoying its waterfront. It will be much more pleasant if fewer cars are parked along inner city streets and none are parked on the new waterfront amenities. That might be possible if the parking buildings are priced to discourage all-day stayers.

The Government has vetoed Auckland Council proposals to use road tolls and petrol levies to discourage car use and raise revenue for public transport improvements. It argued that tolls and levies were an inefficient charge on all users of Auckland roads and imposed an additional cost on the national economy. It cannot have the same objection to parking charges that could produce more efficient use of the spaces provided.

If the charges fail to discourage all-day parking, they will at least provide additional revenue for public transport. Those paying will be those best served by alternatives.

It is perfectly fair.