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Resolution
number WH/2021/100
MOVED by Chairperson K Thomas, seconded by
Member J Rose:
That the Whau Local Board:
a)
welcome
the opportunity to give feedback on the draft Auckland Transport Parking
Strategy.
b)
agree
that this parking strategy is necessary and support in principle a transition
to a less car-focused city to support Auckland’s in delivering on its
commitments under Taruke a Tawhiri – Auckland’s Climate Plan.
c)
reiterate
its previously resolved feedback around parking as follows:
i)
the Whau Local
Board is concerned that the current approach to managing the transport needs
associated with intensive urban development, particularly in brownfields
areas such as Avondale, is reactive rather than proactive
ii) the Whau Local Board is concerned that in
areas like Avondale where intensive brownfields development is happening the
provision of infrastructure (including parking), along with access and
connectivity is currently lagging behind development, as the Whau Local Board
area is not considered a “growth” area, based on out-of-date
information
iii) the local board supports in principle the
shift away from off-street parking requirements for new housing developments,
but it is concerned that new housing is already being built without
off-street parking in areas with limited access to public or active transport
iv) the local board notes that the result of this
is the shift towards intensive urban development with limited parking (in
particular Avondale and New Lynn) is significant and compounding issues with
parking and congestion, as an increasing number of people require on-street
parking around busy town centres with inadequate access to alternative
transport modes such as feeder buses
v) the local board notes the potential of using
parking as a lever (including limiting and charging for parking) to
discourage single-occupancy vehicle use and encourage mode shift towards
public transport and active modes, but believes that it is irresponsible to
promote this policy without first ensuring adequate access to alternative
modes, and to park and ride facilities where appropriate
vi) the local board notes that the New Lynn
Transport centre provides access to the rapid transit network for people
throughout the western fringe and the southern Waitakere Ranges, and that
provision of parking to support those who need to drive from their homes in
these areas to their most convenient (or in some cases only) transport hub is
essential
vii) the local board notes that the unique geography and topography, alongside
the relatively sparsely distributed population, of the Waitakere Ranges puts
significant constraints on future provision of frequent bus services and
makes active modes unrealistic for most, and access to park and ride
facilities is critical to people in these communities
viii)
local board notes
that people’s ability to
access the rapid transit network (particularly once the City Rail Link comes
online) will be a huge benefit to people in the southern Waitākere Ranges and their foothills (including areas such as
Green Bay, Blockhouse Bay, and the southern and western parts of New Lynn),
but only if they have the ability to access that network
ix)
the local board is
aware that there is high demand for parking capacity at train stations right along
the western rail line, but Auckland Transport’s current preference for
new park and rides to be considered only at the outer fringe of the public
transport network (thereby ruling out all but a few of the northernmost
stations on the western rail line) is short-sighted and of little use to
communities in (for example) Huia, Langholm, Woodlands Park and Cornwallis,
for whom New Lynn station is the most obvious and sensible choice
x)
the local board
notes that the New Lynn Urban
Plan 2010 makes specific provision for a multi-storey park and ride in New
Lynn (Auckland’s only Transport-oriented Development)
xi)
the local board
notes that a parking study in New
Lynn undertaken in 2017 reinforced the need for this facility, identifying a
significant shortfall in future parking capacity
xii)
the local board
notes that Auckland Council does not have the funds to deliver the multi-storey park and ride in New Lynn in the current Long-term Plan and that funding
from central government would appear to be the only way to deliver
transformative change to reduce carbon emissions in light of council’s
heavily constrained funding.
d)
note its concern about the potential for current public
parking spaces to be lost through the Auckland Council Group’s asset
recycling programme in future, particularly in Avondale and New Lynn.
e)
request that any
proposals for future repurposing of council-owned land currently used for
parking include serious consideration of options that would at least retain
current public parking capacity if not increase it.
f)
note its concern,
given these issues, about the possibility of increased utilisation of time
restriction or charging around the New Lynn town centre until there is
evidence of a commitment to a significant increase in commuter parking
capacity, ideally through the delivery of a multi-story park and ride.
g)
note its concern
around the possibility of any increases in parking restriction around any
town centres until there is a demonstrable commitment by all relevant
agencies to address the issue of lack of parking capacity caused by intensive
residential development, through multiple levers including investment in
feeder buses, safe and convenient active transport connections and any other
mechanisms to reduce parking demand.
h)
acknowledge that
some residents experiencing issues with on-street parking by commuters,
including some reports of poor parking behaviours (for example parking on
berms or too close to driveways), may support introduction of time
restrictions around our town centres but note that this will only serve to
push the problem further out unless the broader issues around lack of
commuter parking and lack of feasible alternatives to private vehicle use for
the first leg of an inbound commuter journey are addressed.
i)
note that Auckland
Transport is currently unable to enforce parking on berms and request urgent
advocacy by Auckland Transport and Auckland Council to relevant
agencies to enable this enforcement to be introduced.
j)
note its concern
about the potential impact of the removal of minimum off-street parking
requirements under the Government Policy Statement on Urban Development and
sees it as critical that the issues set out above be addressed before the
required changes come into effect.
k)
note the need to
ensure a fair, equitable and reasonable transition from a city that is
designed around cars to a city with little or no free on-street parking,
noting in particular the impact of this transition on the elderly, the
disabled, more deprived communities, and parents with young children.
CARRIED
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