YouTuber has his say about paid parking debate
Tuesday 27th January 2009, 11:30AM GMT.
THE debate over paid parking appears to be hotting up.
One local filmmaker has expressed his support for the scheme in a film posted on video sharing website YouTube. Now he is calling for other islanders to become involved.
Adam Greenfield, a radio and television graduate student currently studying in California, posted his ‘online advocacy video’ this week.
His film outlines the reasons that he believes Guernsey should introduce a ‘sensibly implemented’ paid-parking system.
In the footage, which lasts almost nine minutes, Mr Greenfield asks: ‘Is there such a thing as free parking? Or does free parking actually disguise its costs in damage to the island’s environment, economy, and way of life?’
He tackles the view that paid-parking targets lower-paid workers by claiming that parking is never free and that the taxpayer currently foots the bill for maintaining car parks such as North Beach and Crown Pier.
He also claims that the poorer parts of the community are the most likely to be adversely affected by the consequences of free parking, such as air pollution and lower public spending.
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Fantastic well reasoned argument Adam!
I particularly applaud his reasoning for paid parking for people on lower incomes. Very insightful.
Different charges for peak and off-peak times is also an excellent idea.
In addition, i believe that companies who specialise in vertical parking stations should be encouraged to Guernsey (or perhaps someone from here could set one up themselves) to take pressure off the seafront. Speed cameras should also be considered.
Then put the revenue into road safety, increasing the quality of education and maintaining a viable pension scheme.
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I don’t think it’s really the lower earners it affects; it’s the lowest earning people who regularly park for work and are stretched to the limit by high private rents or mortgages that need to be considered.
It’s nice to think that they would be encouraged to get the bus to save money; believe me, it won’t happen. There are a hundred and one less luxurious items like fresh fruit and veg that can be crossed off the list before parking.
Perhaps a better solution would be to bill firms in town whose employee head count exceeds their own private parking spaces. That would pay maintenance and it would ensure businesses pay something towards what they cost to be here, to non-finance employees, after zero-10.
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Paid parking is unlikely to discourage people from driving to work, especially when Guernsey’s public transport is a less effective way of travelling to and from work. Not only would it take longer to get to work but it also takes a substantially longer time if you want to travel from one end of the island to the other.
Money would be better spent encouraging businesses to install showers and get employees to cycle to work instead.
Ideally I’d like to see Guernsey ban passenger vehicles altogether and install a tram system accross the island on which people could pay for a yearly pass and travel as much as they’d like.
I do realise however that this may be a tad unrealistic!
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what crap no wonder your t v and radio programes are so bad with ideas like this! come to the UK and see how we are bled dry by high parking charges-please do not ruin your lovely island by following greedy money making which helps nobody but the companys that run the car parks and cannot cut accidents or help the environment please do not be misled you have been warned!
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