The chargers have been extremely popular with the local community, to the point that it can be difficult for staff, students and visitors to gain access. As there has been no fee for charging or parking, vehicles frequently overstay the time required to recharge.

To ease this pressure, a charge of 15c per kWh will be applied from 8am to 5pm, coming into effect from 8am on Monday 21 August. To further encourage turnover of the charging locations, once a vehicle is fully charged, the standard parking rate of $8.40 per hour will be applied. The units will remain free outside these peak hours.

The tariffs, which will be automated via the existing Charge Fox app, will help Macquarie’s research collaboration with Snowy Hydro and Red Energy. This research is examining the economic sustainability of Macquarie’s EV charging stations and EV customers’ behaviour. Charging tariffs will also support the adoption of future EV charging stations at Macquarie.

The following spaces will be closed during the construction period:

• Western end of Innovation Road (including external carparking), as marked in diagram below
• Level 3 of East 3 carpark (excluding disabled carparking spaces which will remain open)
• Some footpaths adjacent to the construction zone, as indicated by signage

External stairs on the East 2 and East 3 car parks will remain open.

Staff should be mindful of construction vehicles crossing Wally’s Walk at Eastern Road during the construction period.

Questions or concerns regarding this construction project can be directed to the Project Manager, Huy (Huey) Luu (huey.luu@mq.edu.au). Questions regarding parking in East 3 should be directed to parking@mq.edu.au.

All staff who paid in full for their 2021 vPermit with a credit card and were provided an extension until 30 June 2022 due to the lockdown last year now need to renew their permit.

This 30 June 2022  expiry date means that you need to purchase a new 2022 vPermit to be able to park on campus from 1 July onwards.

If you purchased a six month pass at the start of this year, you will also need to renew.

Permits are now on sale and you can purchase/renew through your self service vPermit account or via the Macquarie parking website.

Please note: if you wish to use salary sacrifice as the payment option, this will not go on sale until 1 July.

Any questions, please email parking@mq.edu.au

Staff have the choice of two parking options:

• A 2022 vPermit – ideal for those parking on campus on a regular basis
• Pay As You Go (PAYG) for those who travel to campus by car less often

For detailed parking information – including all the different 2022 rates for both for vPermits and PAYG – head to the staff parking page, where you will be able to purchase a vPermit online or download your PAYG app.

Remember: for full time or continuing employees, there is an option to salary sacrifice your vPermit on a fortnightly basis. This option is presented when selecting your permit type in your vPermit account.

Extension to 2021 Permits for SOME permit holders

Due to the disruption that COVID19 and extended lockdown periods caused in 2021, your required actions for 2022 permits will depend on the payment method you used for your vPermit in 2021, and when you purchased your permit.

• Staff who paid via salary sacrifice in 2021 will have noticed that the salary deductions were paused for a period in 2021. These permits have now expired and you will need to purchase a new vPermit for 2022.
• Staff who purchased an annual vPermit at the start of 2021 or a six month permit before 31 July 2021 and paid in full by credit card  will have a six-month extension applied to their 2021 parking permit (to 30 June 2022). Please log in to your vPermit account to check that your extension has been applied.

For any further questions not answered here, or on the Parking FAQ document, please email parking@mq.edu.au

Thank you for your parking questions. We are keeping a log of the concerns you’ve raised and will provide information in due course as the Campus Master Plan develops. Stay tuned for more updates in future editions of This Week.

We know parking is a big topic among staff and students, so we sat down with the experts to answer some of your questions.

Will there be less parks on campus?

No. University staff and student parking numbers at the University are mandated by the Department of Planning and are capped at 5,000. The parking changes and projects, both planned and underway, will maintain that cap. There will no more or no less parking for staff and students in the future.

Why are these changes occurring?

The carpark changes are being undertaken to maintain the parking balance on campus when the South 2 carparks (C2, C3, E1) are demolished in early 2018 to make way for the new 8-10 University Ave building. To compensate for their demolition, the West 5 (X8) Carpark is being extended and the West 6 (X13) will be upgraded and extended to accommodate the same number of spaces as South 2.

Are these changes permanent?

The works being undertaken to the campus carpark arrangements are permanent for the foreseeable future and until funding is available to create the parking solution that aligns to the 2014 Master Plan which envisages multi deck carparks at the perimeter of the campus. Investigations are also underway to implement a ‘smarter’ parking solution that improves bay availability using new technologies, and a more equitable, simpler and sustainable alternative. 

Why are carparks being relocated to peripheral areas?

As the University expands, land closest to the centre of campus will be needed for academic expansion, and, as identified in the 2014 Master Plan, the University is focused on improving pedestrian safety and traffic management on campus. One of the ways to achieve these aims is to ensure carparks are located on the perimeter.

Will there be less parks on the eastern side of campus? If so, how will people who work/study on the eastern side of campus be accommodated?

The total number of parking spaces in East 2 and East 3 will not change. What will change is that all campus tenant parking and reserved parking is being consolidated into East 3 with boom gate access. The entire East 2 car park will be exclusively for staff and student permit holders noting that there is a number of spaces (Red lines) allocated to Science Department vehicles. The total number of spaces allocated to each user category will not change, however consolidating them into the separate carparks makes for easier and less confusing user experience.

For those who will park on the western side of campus, shuttle services to/from West 5 and West 6 carparks will operate to transport people who need assistance to the central campus.

What about people who have accessibility requirements? 

Accessible parking numbers are being maintained and improved across campus in most locations. Accessible parking in West 3 in particular is being made compliant and relocated for easier access.

The frequency of the shuttle bus services around campus will be extended for longer periods during the day. 

An app is currently in development that will integrate Co-Hop with shuttle buses. This app will enable live access to data and timetables for shuttle buses, and match with public transport times, routes and ride share buddies to go off campus. Stay tuned for launch, estimated to be by the end of Semester 1.

What alternatives are there to driving?

If you live within a few kilometres of the campus, cycling and walking are the healthiest, most convenient and cheapest ways to travel.

If distance or convenience is why you drive, consider carpooling or mixing your travel modes for part of the journey. To plan your trip to campus, visit co-hop.com.au for timetables and to match with other Macquarie University travel buddies. 

Car pooling staff are also eligible for a Carpool Parking Permit, giving them access to marked preferential parking spots around campus.

Why are we seeing more industry partners with buildings on campus?
We developed a plan in 2009 to enhance the University for both students and staff, in part by bringing industry partners onto the campus to engage meaningfully with them.

Greater collaboration with industry and business will not only enrich the Innovation District of which Macquarie University is central, but will also provide opportunities for commercialisation, student internships and real-world work experience.

Where will we park once the C1, C2, C3 and E1 car parks are closed?
As identified in the 2014 Master Plan, the University is focused on improving pedestrian safety and traffic management on campus. One of the ways to do that is to ensure car parks are located on the perimeter.

In line with this vision, the X8 car park was originally designed to accommodate additional parking for staff and students. It will be expanded prior to the closure of C1, C2, C3 and E1 to provide an equivalent number of spaces. The expansion will commence later this year, with a planned opening in late 2017.

The University will also be increasing the frequency of shuttle buses from the X8 car park to assist those needing some form of vehicular access. In addition, changes will be made to car parking arrangements in the F5 car parks to provide additional parking for University usage.

How many car park spaces will there be when the Campus Master Plan is completed?
When the campus is fully developed, we plan to have nearly 11,000 spaces available for commercial tenant, student and staff parking. The number of spaces provisioned for the University use is maximised at 5,000 under the 2009 Concept Plan approved by NSW Department of Planning.

What will happen to the undercover disabled and motorcycle parking in E1?
We are currently looking at arranging alternative undercover parking in F5, the Australian Hearing Hub and other University-owned buildings.

Are there plans for shuttles and/or covered pedestrian walkways on campus?
There are plans to increase the frequency of the shuttle bus. There are no plans for covered walkways.

The executive working group will continue to evaluate all options for staff and students who park on campus to provide the best possible experience.

What parking options will exist for parents and carers with children attending campus childcare centres?
Existing car parking facilities will be maintained for those spaces in close proximity to the childcare centres, wherever that is possible. The drop off points will be retained.

What is the University’s plan to manage potential impacts from the train station closure?
The expanded X8 car park will open in late 2017, prior to the scheduled train station closure in late 2018.

In addition, we have established an executive working group that will lobby the government to represent the University’s needs and interests as it further develops the interim transport plan. The executive working group will provide regular updates to the University community at large.