UTS Parking – Vice-Chancellor's Operational Directives

1. Background and context

The University has a number of parking spots at its campuses. Use of these spots for appropriate University purposes is an important business issue for the University. It is also important to ensure that the allocation of parking spots to individuals follows a fair and equitable process.

2. Purpose and scope

2.1 Purpose

The purpose of these UTS Vice-Chancellor's Operational Directives is to establish a fair and appropriate framework to manage the utilisation of University's parking facilities, so as to ensure the University meets its legislative obligations pertaining to parking facilities under the UTS Act and other relevant legislation. The criteria for parking, parking fees, appropriateness of usage and the obligations of parking users are defined by these Operational Directives.

2.2 Scope

These Operational Directives apply to all staff, students, visitors, persons with disabilities, service contractors and management centres that wish to park on University premises. Their scope is to:

2.1.1 facilitate the functions of the University;

2.1.2 ensure the security and preservation of the value of the University motor vehicle fleet including those vehicles provided under the terms of employment contracts; and salary packaged vehicles with a business use component;

2.1.3 provide, as far as possible, access to the University for those staff or students with physical disabilities;

2.1.4 enable organisations to undertake work associated with the provision of services and facilities to the University;

2.1.5 formalise procedures for the annual allocation of available parking spaces;

2.1.6 establish responsibilities and accountabilities for the allocation process;

2.1.7 establish procedures for the management, reporting and regulation of parking arrangements;

2.1.8 provide a structure of checks and penalties for the management of parking within all University campuses.

2.3 Constraints

The formulation of these Operational Directives is subject to a number of constraints:

• the demand for parking on all campuses exceeds the available facilities;
• building density on a number of sites;
• leasehold properties;
• local rules.

3. Definitions

Cross campus:

Staff members whose primary work location is at either the Kuring-gai or St Leonards campuses and who regularly work at the city campus and vice versa.

Operating lease:

Where the approved lease is granted on the basis of business related use.

Self Enforcing Infringement Notice Scheme (SEINS):

A system of on-the-spot fines developed by the NSW Government.

It allows trained officers of UTS or its security contractor to control parking in the various parking areas. Infringements issued under this Scheme have the same force as those issued on public streets. Payment is made to the Infringement Processing Bureau, which comes under the Office of State Revenue. The Bureau is responsible for processing all penalty notices by Police and clients of NSW Police.

Business Usage refers to:

• Senior staff subsidised vehicles;
• Operating lease vehicles where the approved lease is granted on the basis of business-related usage and the vehicle is located at the City Campus;
• Pool vehicles managed by FMU or a Faculty/Unit.

4. UTS Parking Vice-Chancellor's Operational Directives provisions

4.1 Space allocation

4.1.1 Annually, UTS will allocate vehicle parking spaces for the following UTS supplied vehicles as demand dictates:

• senior staff subsidised vehicles;
• staff with operating lease vehicles where the approved lease is granted on the basis of business-related usage and the vehicle is located at the City Campus;
• University pool vehicles.

4.1.2 Annually, UTS will allocate vehicle parking spaces to meet the following business needs of the University as demand and availability dictate:

• Disability;
• Visitor;
• Loading;
• Contractor.

4.1.3 Facilities Management Unit will request from Faculties/Units a submission for additional spaces required for the coming year for the purpose of undertaking business-related activities (recommended by the Dean/Director and approved by the Divisional Head) as follows:

• cross campus work (possible to over-allocate given timetable variations);
• shift work where arrival/departures times are regularly outside of normal business hours (full-time staff only);
• any other significant and regular business-related activity that cannot be undertaken using either a senior staff subsidised vehicle or pool vehicle.

Facilities Management Unit will review the submissions and recommend an allocation schedule to VCMG for its review and endorsement.

4.1.4 Where the number of vehicle spaces available exceeds the business demand, the remaining spaces will be made available to staff through a ballot process coordinated by HRU.

All staff on a permanent or limited term contract of employment of 12 months or more are eligible to apply. No other criteria will apply. Human Resources Unit will coordinate this annual process. The result of the ballot will be final and no additional requests from any source will be considered.

The Manager, Security Services will ensure that successful applicants are aware of permit requirements parking rules and regulations to be observed, and the penalties that may be levied where the parking rules and regulations are infringed. Parking rights are not transferable.

4.1.5 The annual parking allocation will apply from 1 March each year.

4.2 Drivers with physical disabilities

4.2.1 To qualify for parking in an area that is set aside for parking for staff and students with physical disabilities, the driver must hold a current Mobility Parking Scheme Authority issued by the Roads & Traffic Authority, and/or have a permit or documentation from the Director of Student Services, or the Director of the Equity and Diversity Unit, or his/her nominee, stating that the person is either temporarily or permanently disabled.

4.2.2 Drivers whose vehicles display the above permits must park in a marked disabled bay. Holders of permits are not guaranteed a space.

4.3 Parking fees and charges

4.3.1 Any levy or tax charged by local, state or federal government is to be borne by the individual who has use of a parking space supplied by the University.

4.3.2 The University reserves the right to charge a fee that may vary for different campuses, and revenue raised may be applied to meeting costs of providing parking facilities and related arrangements. No fee will be applied for parking at the City Campus.

4.3.3 At the Kuring-gai Campus, a parking fee of $100.00 pa + GST will apply to staff and, after 3.00pm, a coin-operated boomgate will operate for students with a fee of $2.00. (see section 4.6 – Disposition of Parking Fees). These fees have been agreed to by the Kuring-gai Campus Management Committee.

Exemption from parking fees will apply to:

• holders of parking permits issued on the basis that the driver holds a Disabled Parking exemption form issued by the RTA or satisfies other requirements outlined in Section 4;
• casual visitors other than those persons who have leased University facilities outside normal teaching hours;
• staff whose remuneration package includes the provision of a vehicle for business purposes; and
• staff who have obtained an operating lease salary packaged vehicle on the basis that the vehicles are provided for University business.

4.3.4 Commercial Parking

Faculties and Units may rent parking spots from commercial operators, provided they are procured in accordance with the UTS Procurement Vice-Chancellor's Operational Directives.

4.4 Infringements

4.4.1 All drivers must comply with any signage or pavement markings that appear at access points to individual carparks. Drivers must also comply with signs that appear beside or on a marked bay indicating that a particular bay or series of bays is subject to special restrictions e.g. signposted executive bays, parking for staff/students with disabilities, UTS Pool Vehicles only, Loading Zone etc.

4.4.2 Infringement notices will be issued by authorised University Security staff and will be processed by the NSW Police Service Infringement Processing Bureau. Fines are subject to enforcement in the same way as if the offence occurred on any public street.

4.5 Penalties

4.5.1 Infringement Notices issued by prescribed University Officers under the provisions of the relevant Road Transport Legislation shall be processed by the NSW Infringement Processing Bureau, which administers the Self Enforcing Infringement Notice Scheme (SEINS).

4.5.2 Regardless of the fines imposed, a permit holder who consistently ignores the prescriptions of these Operational Directives may have that permit withdrawn at the discretion of the Manager, Security Services.

4.5.3 Vehicles that have

• parked inside University grounds contrary to signs and/or road markings; or
• parked in a manner so as to cause an obstruction or safety hazard; or
• parked on lawns, footpaths or ramps; or
• parked in a designated and signed space reserved for persons with physical disabilities without displaying appropriate approvals as set out in Section 4 – Drivers with Physical Disabilities; or
• illegally entered University grounds; or
• displayed a permit not issued by Security Services for that vehicle.

may be issued with a Parking Infringement Notice.

4.5.3 Breaches related to abuse of Personal Identification Number (PIN) access to parking facilities will result in immediate temporary suspension of that access and the issuing of a written demand to show cause why the suspension should not be permanent.

4.6 Disposition of parking fees

4.6.1 Revenue from parking fees applied at Kuring-gai campus will be spent in accordance with the Kuring-gai Campus Management Group's priorities.

4.6.2 Revenue from the coin operated boom gate at Kuring-gai will be applied to Campus improvements on the basis of recommendations made by the Kuring-gai Campus Management Group.

4.6.3 Revenue from Parking Infringements and Penalties directly related to parking in a designated and signposted space reserved for persons with disabilities shall be applied on the basis of recommendation by the Accessible Environments Advisory Group to address priorities determined by that Group. It is expected that this revenue will be used to fund commercial carparking fees for 2006 and beyond.

4.7 Exclusions to the UTS Parking Vice-Chancellor's Operational Directives

Police, Ambulance, Fire and other emergency vehicles.

5. Authorities and accountabilities

The Chief Financial Officer has overall accountability for facilities management and therefore, is responsible for enforcing these Operational Directives.

The Chief Financial Officer or nominee is responsible for authorising corrective action to rectify all breaches of these Operational Directives and must also report any fraudulent activities to the Director Internal Audit.

5.1 Reporting breaches

All suspected breaches of these Operational Directives should, in the first instance, be reported to the relevant supervisor, Dean or Director. Suspected breaches of a serious nature should be reported directly to the Chief Financial Officer.

5.2 Penalties for breaches

Punishment for breaches of these Operational Directives will be administered in accordance with Rules of the University relating to staff discipline and any codes of conduct issued from time to time.

6. Specification of related UTS and other relevant documentation

• UTS Procurement Vice-Chancellor's Operational Directives and Guidelines
• UTS Equity and Diversity Unit Vice-Chancellor's Operational Directives

7. Approval

Revision/modification history