Alistair Coe MLA, the Shadow Minister for Transport Services, said the increase in commuters fees, fares and fines in this year’s budget is a result of the Stanhope-Gallagher Government’s inability to find savings during the good times.
“At a time when so many Canberra families and businesses are struggling, the ACT Government has put on even more pressure by raising fees, fares, fines and will hire more parking inspectors,” Mr Coe said.
“The Budget hurts Canberrans that travel by car or bus in four ways:
- Parking fees in government car parks are going up:
- increase of 20% for parking ticket machines from 1 July 2009
- increase of 50% for parking meters from 1 July 2010 - For people that over-stay their parking limit, the parking fines will increase by 10% from 1 July 2009
- All ACT taxpayers will be subsidising the hiring of more parking inspectors.
- Bus fares will be increased by an average of 11% from the July 1 2009
“If the Government was serious about trying to entice people onto public transport, we would not see such an increase on ACTION buses.
“We have seen this Government waste the good times, now this slug on commuters is a direct result of past mistakes and attempt to help pay back the years of deficit predicted.
“Someone parking in all-day parking in Civic for $7.50 a day will now be paying $9 per day which is an increase of $375 per year. In Woden, Belconnen or Tuggeranong, someone who currently pays $5.00 per day will face a hike of $250 over a year.” (Based on working 5 days a week and 50 working weeks a year).
“Almost every Canberran will be forced to cough up more money to the ACT Treasury to prop-up years of mismanagement by the Stanhope-Gallagher Government,” said Mr Coe.
