Cancelling weekend, night parking fee cuts $1.5M from transit budget

Calgary city council has rescinded the $3 park-and-ride fee on evenings and weekends, butthe move willcost Calgary Transit $1.5 million in lost revenue.

Aldermen ratified the elimination of the fee on Tuesday after a public backlashagainst the park-and-ride charges, which were introduced on March 16. Previously, parking at transit station lots was free at all times.

The fee wasto go towardimproving security and maintaining the C-Train system.

Calgary council said it's now up to Calgary Transit to cut the $1.5 million in lost evening and weekend revenue from its $300-million budget.

Ald. Andre Chabot says he's confident Fred Wong, the director of Calgary Transit, will be able to make the adjustment with minimal impact to the service.

"Be it through capital expenditures, or operational expenditures or maybe cutting some overtime hours or what have you," Chabot told CBC News. "I don't know. I'm not the expert; he is. Let's let him find the efficiencies to achieve this objective and be able to maintain the level of service."

The transit agency is to report back to a council committee in June with details on where the $1.5 million reduction will be made.

The $3 parking feewent into effect firstat the McKnight-Westwinds, Somerset-Bridlewood and Dalhousie stations and is expected to be implemented at all park-and-ride lots by the end of May. The fee was instituted to raise estimated $6 million a year for Calgary Transit. Violators face a parking ticket of $40.

Motorists looking for alternative

The Calgary Parking Authority said violations around park-and-ride lots spiked in the first few days by motorists looking for alternatives to paying the $3 charge.

Many commuters parked along residential streets clearly marked with one- or two-hour time limits, but other motorists said they were taking their chances on streets where signage was less clear.

The city said it has no plans to increase or change signage along residential roads near park-and-ride lots, pointing out it's up to residents to report their concerns.

"If you're finding that people are parking on your street and you'd like to have signagea two-hour, a one-hour [limit] or except by permit you have to have 80 per cent of the people on your block sign a petition, which you can get by contacting 311," said Lorie Boychuk, a spokeswoman for the city's roads department.

Other commuters are borrowing residential visitor parking permits from friends who live near C-Train stations.

"Because the permit is only in one vehicle, there's only one person making use of that permit.There isn't any abuse as far as we're concerned and no tag would be issued," said Dale Fraser, general manager of the Calgary Parking Authority.