Customers will be able to park for up to 18 hours free in Ashfield carpark when they use Sydney trains from mid-2018.
Following a successful trial on the Northern Beaches in January at the B-Line commuter carpark in Dee Why, the Opal Park and Ride system will be installed at the remaining B-Line commuter carparks throughout the year.
Customers at Ashfield train station will be the first to trial the system when it begins around the middle of 2018.
Opal Park and Ride will provide customers with up to 18 hours free parking each day if they use public transport.
Customers need to complete a journey by tapping on and off using their Opal card, then use their Opal card when they exit the carpark.
Customers who do not catch public transport within 18 hours from the time of entry will be charged at a daily rate in line with the commercial rates for the local area.
The NSW Government is investigating which other train stations could be included in the trial.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Government wants to make it easier for customers to access public transport.
“This trial aims to ensure that carparks provided by the NSW Government for commuters are used by the people they are intended for,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Research shows up to 46 per cent of people in some areas who use commuter carparks did not intend to catch public transport and this trial has been designed to ensure that it is genuine customers who benefit from these facilities.”
Ashfield commuter carpark was upgraded under the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program, an initiative to deliver safe, modern and accessible public transport infrastructure across the state.
The upgrade of this multi-storey carpark included an extra 96 car spaces (235 in total), as well as new lifts, CCTV technology and improved security lighting.
The NSW Government has invested more than $1 billion in the Transport Access Program since 2011, with over 400 projects completed across the state, including the delivery of more than 6000 commuter car spaces.
Find out more: https://www.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/news/tap-on-for-free-parking/