Drivers circle park-and-ride lots

Frustration spread through park-and-ride lots on Monday morning, the first day of a new reserved parking system.

Most of the reserved spots at the Crowfoot C-Train station's park-and-ride lot were full by 7:30 a.m. Monday morning. That left drivers circling the lot, looking for a spot, or driving to other C-Train stations.

Driver Sean Sun, who paid for a reserved spot, couldn't find anywhere to park.

"I am very frustrated. I am going to call the city and complain. That's the only thing I can do."

"I thought this would happen," added driver Steve Dunn. "I thought there wouldbe more people wanting reserved spots than there are actually available."

City putting up larger signs

Drivers who had paid the $70-a-month fee could park in any of spots in the reserved section of certain lots, but those sections may have been filled up earlyby"free parkers," who didn't see the sign or didn't care.

"The signs are a little bit on the small side. We likely should have had bigger signs so that people would absolutely know that when they drive into the reserved area, they will know it is only for reserved parking," said spokesman Ron Collins.

No tickets Monday

The Calgary Parking Authority is set toenforce the new system, ticketing and towing vehicles that aren't signed up for the reservation system. Collins said no one would get a ticket on Monday, but enforcement would resume on Tuesday.

Free parking began at C-Train lots around the city on Friday, but Monday was the first test of the new reservation system.

City councilabandoned the daily park-and-ride fee after many Calgarians told the city that a $3-a-day fee is punishing for C-Train commuters. Now, drivers can choose to pay a $70-a-month fee for access to one of 750 reserved parking stalls. That works out tono more thanhalf the stalls in seven lots.

People who want to buy a reserved pass can go online at CalgaryTransit.com or go to the Calgary Transit customer service centre at 224 Seventh Ave. S.W. Motorists can sign up five licence plates per reservation.