WITH a petition signed by more than 500 “frustrated residents”, the Canberras Liberals have asked that no more parking be sold off in Kippax without replacements being provided.

In the Assembly yesterday (February 9) Liberal member for Ginninderra Elizabeth Kikkert presented the petition – signed by 500 people over three days – to Minister Chris Steel.

Kikkert says the Kippax Masterplan requires that any redevelopment of existing car parks must “provide replacement public parking” and that “the existing provision of convenient and accessible car parking … should be retained as development and redevelopment occur”.

In November, 2022, Kikkert asked the government  to “act fast” to fix the parking crisis at the Kippax Group Centre, saying future growth was already happening.

In November, Kikkert said: “Instead of progressing the long-delayed expansion of Kippax Fair, which includes 450 underground public parking bays, this Labor-Greens government made the situation worse two weeks ago by selling off 64 unrestricted parking spaces for development.”

“This has reduced public parking in and along Hardwick Crescent by 12 per cent!”

Kikkert says now the only response has been to shift 16 park-and-ride bays, and to tell shoppers to park in Moyes Crescent – a 400-metre walk across the oval – or use the cricket ground 650 metres down the street.

“Minister Steel is out of touch. He doesn’t get that mums with young children and full trolleys just can’t do that. Older residents just can’t do that. Shoppers with impaired mobility just can’t do that. This Labor-Greens government doesn’t understand West Belconnen,” says Kikkert.

“The minister cites a government survey to claim parking demand at Kippax was only 84 per cent. I invite him to join me there to see the reality now. I was at Kippax at 11.30am last Wednesday, and the car park in front of Woolworths was 98 per cent full. Yes, I counted!

“Older shoppers have been greatly impacted. Several told me they had relied on the now-closed car park because it gave them more room to park and open their car doors wide to get in and out, especially if they use wheelchairs or walking frames.

“Several shoppers told me that they have started driving to Belconnen or other shopping centres that don’t require them to tediously circle Kippax waiting for somewhere to park. This situation has impacted shopkeepers, who report fewer customers and fewer sales.”