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Brisbane motorists are getting slugged with the highest short-term off-street parking fees, with drivers paying an average $28.71 to park in the city for an hour and $16.98 for 30 minutes, according to motor insurance group RACQ.
Not only is Brisbane more expensive than Sydney and Melbourne for off-street parking costs for one hour or less, it was also the second most expensive for two-hour and all-day parking, RACQ's latest CBD Parking Report revealed.
Rebecca Michael, RACQ head of public policy, said the “daylight robbery” for motorists discourages them from visiting the CBD to shop or have a meal.
“Since 2001, average weekday casual parking rates have more than quadrupled and there’s no justification for it – motorists are being ripped off,” Michael said. “If we don’t see more competitive pricing of parking in the CBD, drivers will vote with wallets and favour suburban shopping centres where parking is cheaper – or better yet, free.”
Michael noted that the number of parking stations charging a maximum fee of $89 per day dropped from 11 to 7, but said drivers still had to use savvy tactics to avoid being slugged.
“Drivers should aim to support the cheaper carparks and plan their visits to the CBD by booking online and utilising early-bird rates,” she said. “Parking stations like King George Square or Wickham Terrace are operated by Brisbane City Council, which sees them priced well below the average.”
Brisbane had the cheapest on-street parking at $4.90 per hour, compared to Melbourne's $7.00/hr and Sydney's $7.20/hr, RACQ said.
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