The proposed parking fee at Armidale airport has not been thought through and the mayor of Armidale Dumaresq Council is seemingly unaware of the implications of such a fee.
Let me tell you what is going to happen. People like me, who frequently travel to Sydney for business purposes, will park their car off the road east of the airport. This will cost me nothing. Even if I have to park 100 metres away, I would prefer to do this than pay this proposed impost. Other business people and private travellers will do the same. The people who will park at the airport are those that work for UNE and other government institutions who can claim their parking expenses from petty cash. (I guess I can be cynical that Council will negotiate with the RTA and install no standing signs, so to force travellers to use the soon to be parking area and be charged for the privilege).
After this, there will a shortfall in revenue and the proposed charges will be raised to, say, $20.00 per day. It costs money to prepare the site for charged parking, with the installation of boom gates, pay machines, parking restriction signs, bollards and the like. Who pays for this? The ratepayers of course! The money raised for parking will not even pay for the costs of installation, let alone to run this new “windfall” of revenue. There will be no new money to maintain the existing parking areas, although Council will most likely show on paper that it does.
This whole proposal smacks of a Local Government which is essentially broke, looking for additional revenue streams. A classic belting with a stick, rather than leading with a carrot approach. I suggest Council take steps to encourage more businesses to Armidale and then more people will follow, leading to construction of more houses and infrastructure. This will give Council a real income stream, rather than playing around the edges.
If Council decides to go ahead with this madness I will simply fly from Tamworth. I would rather pay extra in fuel costs to the local petrol suppliers here, rather than pay a parking fee at Armidale airport.
Casper Ozinga,
Walcha
