The move by North Sydney Council to introduce a sliding scale of residential parking permits has been applauded by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA). The President of ALGA, Councillor Paul Bell, said the scheme has lower fees for smaller vehicles and higher fees for large, four wheel drive and eight cylinder vehicles.
“Congestion and pollution are serious issues in our inner cities,” he said. “We need to look at sensible and innovative ways to encourages the use of lighter, more environmentally friendly vehicles in high density areas. As stated by the Mayor of North Sydney, Councillor Genia McCaffery, Council is not targeting four wheel drives as such, rather it is rewarding the use of vehicles with low fuel consumption and low greenhouse emissions.
Motor vehicles are responsible for around 70 per cent of urban air pollution in our cities while the cost of congestion has been estimated at around $12.8 billion a year, $6 billion of which is incurred in Sydney alone.
“Fuel used by cars increased by 16.8 per cent from 1990 to 2000 and emissions increased by 22.2 per cent in the same period. And with car traffic projected to increase by 33 per cent in Australian capital cities between 2002 and 2020, that means more pollution, more accidents and more noise.”
Councillor Bell said Local Government is keen to press ahead and examine ways to achieve sustainable urban transport in order to improve the lives of all those who live in our major cities.
“Sustainable urban transport will be a key feature of ALGA’s National Roads and Transport Congress to be held in Launceston on 3–5 July this year,” he said.
