Union declares 'war' on paid parking plan

A retail union is leading the fight against plans by Westfield to charge customers and staff to park at Brisbane's Chermside Shopping Centre from next month.

The shopping centre's management confirmed today retail staff would be charged a daily fee to park at a designated roof top car park, as well as shoppers who would be charged to park at the northside centre for more than three hours.

"Retailers will pay a small daily flat fee which will cover the security and management of the dedicated roof top car park," a Westfield Chermside spokeswoman said.

"This dedicated roof top car park will ensure that the most convenient car spots are available for our shoppers.

"Parking rates for retailers will be confirmed by the end of September and controlled parking will be introduced in October."

On the weekend, more than 1000 people signed a Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association's petition condemning the impending charges.

Members of the association mounted a small protest outside the centre on Saturday, where they garnered 150 signatures from shoppers in 15 minutes.

Chris Ketter, the secretary of the union's Queensland branch, said he understood staff would be charged about $3 per day to park at the centre.

He said staff would also be charged about $10 for a swipe card to access the designated parking area, although the fee would be refunded when their employment at the centre ended.

“We've declared war on Westfield Chermside's push to introduce paid parking for both staff and customers," Mr Ketter said.

“Making staff to pay to work is unfair and unAustralian and I imagine shoppers are against the move as well.

“This money grabbing push could see thousands of Queenslanders forced to pay a daily toll just to do their jobs," Mr Ketter said.

“Many of these staff are young people and parents already doing it tough in today's economic climate. It's unfair for them to have to pay up to $15 per week to park at work.

“The suggestion they should pay to work is an outrage and we want it wiped out."

Mr Ketter said the union intended to present the petition to Lord Mayor Graham Quirk.

In 2008, Westfield sought council approval to install boom gates and charge anyone using its carparks for more than three hours.

But the council rejected the proposal 12 months later.

As owner of the land at Chermside, Westfield can introduce paid parking on its site without the green light from council.

According to Westfield, the introduction of "controlled parking" is necessary to stop commuters who use the bus interchange outside the shopping centre taking shoppers' car spaces.

"The primary objective of introducing controlled parking is to ensure maximum car spaces are available for shoppers," the spokeswoman said.

"Currently up to 25 per cent of car spaces are taken up by commuters which reduces valuable sales and traffic for our retailers."

Westfield estimates that 96 per cent of shoppers spend no longer than three hours at the centre and would therefore not have to pay for parking.

Westfield has not commented on suggestions it is planning to introduce paid parking at Carindale Shopping Centre once a parking guidance system, which would direct customers to vacant car spaces, is installed.