UPEI parking shortage irks students

Parking spots are harder to come by with enrolment on the rise, students at the University of Prince Edward Island say.

"If you're not here at 8:30, it's pretty hard to get a parking spot," said Kelly Sierra, a second-year education student.

The university campus has about 1,200 parking spaces, which are available to students and staff who purchase permits to use them.

Greg Clayton, the director of facilities management, said the university did a parking assessment last year and decided no new parking spots were necessary.

He said there may be an overflow of cars because UPEI officials have not yet started ticketing drivers for parking without a permit.

"Those two days of grace usually create some congestion," Clayton told CBC News. "It seems a little worse this year than other years."

Earlier this week, security staff were stationed at the entrance of each campus parking lot to advise drivers on where to park.

Once permit enforcement starts on Monday, Clayton said, permit holders should find it easier to find a parking space.

"If you're coming with a car this week without a permit, you may be carpooling next week, you may start taking the public transit system, you may be finding other ways to get to campus," he said.

With an enrolment increase this year, and more than 4,000 students enrolled, some say it's obvious more parking spaces are needed.

"If you're later in the morning, you end up parking in the no-parking areas," said student John MacDonald. "Or, you're so far back, you've got quite a walk, which is quite a thing in the winter time."

UPEI staff handed out nearly 5,000 tickets for parking violations last year.