City parking fees set to soar
Parking fees in the city would rise at twice the rate of inflation this year under plans before the City of Perth.
The proposed 6 per cent increase in on-street and off-street parking fees would equate to an extra 20� to 30� an hour.
The increase, well above the estimated 2.9 per cent increase in the consumer price index for 2014-15, is being considered in part because the State Government is expected to raise its Perth parking levy when it hands down the Budget next month.
A report to tonight's finance and administration committee meeting has recommended the 6 per cent increase over two other options: an increase in line with CPI and keeping fees unchanged.
"It is unknown what the State Government parking levy will be in 2014-15, however, in 2013-14 the State Government increased it by 6 per cent," the report says.
"It is assumed that it is likely that the increase for 2014-15 will be the same as 2013-14." The city's parking division operates on-street parking and 34 carparks around the city.
Perth chief executive Gary Stevenson said no decision about fee increases had been made.
"Having said that, the City of Perth makes it a priority to deliver its budget in June for the coming financial year, in the interest of residents and stakeholders," he said.
"Planning for the budget is already well under way. The State Government generally hands down its budget later in the year. Therefore, in the absence of any detail about the parking levy for 2014-15, the City of Perth has based its projections on past experience.
"On occasions, the City has underestimated the levy increase."
He said the city's parking fees were benchmarked against local competitors and other capital cities and were generally significantly lower.
"We try to keep fees as low as possible," he said.
"The city's involvement in the parking business keeps downward pressure on parking fees charged by other operators."
The parking levy was introduced in 1999 to pay for the free central area transit (CAT) buses.
A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Dean Nalder said the 2014-15 parking levy would be announced as part of the Government's Budget delivery next month.
"Carpark operators, including the City of Perth, are not party to any State Government Budget decisions, prior to the Budget being announced," she said.
