WCC say parking fees or 8% on the rates - here's another way

[cheshirecat]

target over spending and waste
'ere (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/8307435/Council-staff-on-58000-to-be-named-in-war-on-waste.html)

What waste and savings do we see can be made?

[DEVVIL]

Can we have more info........

[cheshirecat]

Can we have more info........
Wellington Councils argument for parking charges is that unless we have them (already more expensive than parking in central London) then they will have to put the rates up by 8%.

An alternative for the Council would be to target their own efficiency, as would any private individual person and company in times of recession.
I propose we list areas the council can save money, not only in their own bureaucracy but also activities.
NotoBikeParkingtax (http://www.notobikeparkingtax.com/) Westminster have sources inside the council which helps enormously.
In times where every elected body manages to send costs up surely they have a responsibility and leadership to set examples and LOWER costs.
As a diverse 'comunity' we can assist them by highlighting areas they can save.
This would also place them under greater scrutiny (read insecurity) and let internet campaigning use its fuller and not insignificant capability, plus give us a wider support base.
At least one WCC councilor is very much pro taking a grip on council expenditure and admin inefficency.

Just my thoughts. I can easily set up a website for a resource for this if needed, though prefer if this was a skicky as a starter.

[lone_slayer]

Is the 8% rise for all car parks or just bike parks? 8% seems bloody steep dont it

[cheshirecat]

Is the 8% rise for all car parks or just bike parks? 8% seems bloody steep dont it

Sorry wasn't clear.
It's 8% on the domestic rates not the car parking rates, which seems a lot but each car bay is worth $6000 per year for the council, hence replacing Mercer St (40 plus bikes) with 7 car bays makes sense for them as an easy way out instead of reducing their inefficiencies by a the same.

[lone_slayer]

So if you had to pay for bike parking since you can get say 2 - 3 bikes a park, will pay parking be 1/2 - 1/3 the price of cars? If they do take that route

[rustic101]

So if you had to pay for bike parking since you can get say 2 - 3 bikes a park, will pay parking be 1/2 - 1/3 the price of cars? If they do take that route

I think, and I could be wrong but there is a Bylaw that prevents more than two bikes in a car park...

Motorcycle / Scooter Parking

Free motorcycle / scooter parking areas are available in central Wellington in locations signposted No Stopping Except for Motorcycles. Most of these areas are designated Monday - Saturday, 8.00am - 6.00pm. If there are additional restrictions or the areas are designated Motorcycle Parking at All Times, the signage will indicate accordingly.

Up to two motorcycles may use a car park controlled by a single-head parking meter (but not mobility spaces unless displaying the appropriate permit). Each rider is individually responsible for ensuring the meter is not expired and not exceeding the maximum time restriction.

Motorcycles may not use pay-and-display spaces as they are unable to securely attach receipts where wardens can easily find them.
Commuters are encouraged to find parking off the public road (eg public and private parking facilities) to free space for other riders to come and go during the day. The Council has arranged for all parking companies to provide good quality space and competitive rates for riders.

Parking on footpaths and road carriageways at the ends of parallel parks or by pedestrian crossings is hazardous for pedestrians and cars and is illegal. Illegally parked motorcycles and scooters will be ticketed.

[James Deuce]

The Council has arranged for all parking companies to provide good quality space and competitive rates for riders.



Which as I pointed out is utter bullshit. They've done that in two parking buildings neither of which cater for Waterloo Quay, Featherston St, Jervois Quay, Upper Willis St, Taranaki St, Tory St, Abel Smith St, Ghuznee St, or Vivian St without significant extra foot or bus commutes for riders. That's a lot of fun carrying and wearing bike gear. Not.

Some of the parking buildings in this area also refuse to cater for motorcyclists using a car space paid for by employers, despite soothing words from the council representative who begged to differ.

Go and count the single head parking meters in inner Wellington, and let us know how many you find.

The 8% rate increase threat is purely to make sure that motoryclists look like ungrateful bastards should they complain about the loss of free parking. The parking companies will NOT take up all the slack. Their job is to make a profit and they will encourage competition by limiting the supply of motorcycle parks.

[pete376403]

If the council got all the illegally parked taxis off metered car parks they'd see a bit of extra revenue. On the Terrace today about 2pm, 6 or 7 taxis taking space outside what used to be Shell House. Meanwhile car users roaming up and down trying to find parks.
And I counted 40 bikes and scooters on the bike park on the other side of the street. In that same space they'd get maybe 4 car parks.

[cheshirecat]

I was thinking of highlighting the numerous ways (we hope) WCC wastes money. For instance they've recently made various suburbs 30kph zones at some cost.
The benifit needs to be statistaclly proved against a control model which I doubt they have done so did they really need to spend our money in a time of recession and a tight budget pandering to PCites, plus of course manners bus lane fiasco.

[mrchips]

A Rates hike is inevitable.

Absolutely profitably Wellington Chity Council's coffers are well & truely in the pooos.... & I'm talking big floaters, pure & simple.

As i see it folks, we are all just scapegoats.

[GOONR]

.....

Motorcycles may not use pay-and-display spaces as they are unable to securely attach receipts where wardens can easily find them....

Illegally parked motorcycles and scooters will be ticketed.

So you can't find somewhere on your own bike to put a ticket but a parking warden can?

[KiWiP]

An idea (not mine) that I like is reducing the amount of street furniture. Why have 15 signs when 1 will suffice.

Instead of having parking signs all over the place have a (simple) system of painted lines 3 colours, 3 amounts (works well in Milton Keynes in the UK) Ouch, expensive, acceptable, free (no paint) . Now I've just thought why do we have so many solid lines? Surely if we did it by dots rather than lines we could reduce the paint bill by 90%

Replace high voltage street lights with LED lights, require sod all power and require no maintenance (virtually anyway)

Don't make roads so wide. If they only need to take two cars wide don't make them wide enough for 4, expensive to build expensive to maintain.

In many cities they've done trials with removing all street stuff. Sidewalks, traffic lights, pedestrian crossings etc etc and have found that the accident rate and human damage and mortality goes down (everyone starts taking more care) So it's already been proven, lets do it. reduces ACC payouts, insurance claims and the council doesn't have to buy the stuff.

If people transgress the law and are unable to pay the fines levied don't bung them in prison where it costs us even more, have a scheme where they can work off their debt and hopefully get a sense of achievement and sense of self worth (if needed).

Just a few thoughts...