By Tom Long, Boston Globe

William Elliott of Acton is a supporter of public transportation who has had his patience tried. He said the problem for "those of us living in the outlying areas" is parking - in Elliott's case, parking for the commuter rail (Fitchburg) and the subway. "I get on at Alewife, if I can. I have such limited parking that I hardly try to use them anymore. We're paying huge amounts of money to support a system that refuses to address the core problem: how to access it. I've tried so many times to find a parking space in Acton and at Alewife with no success, and, after getting tickets for parking in Concord, I've just about given up on the MBTA.

"I used to be a huge supporter when I lived in Cambridge (I got rid of my car at one point), and in fact grew up in Braintree in the '40s and '50s, routinely taking the bus to Quincy to get the T to Boston, and to my relatives in Watertown (bus out of Harvard Square). Now, it simply frustrates me to drive to the South Acton lot (it's full), then to Alewife (it's full, by about 8:30 a.m. sometimes), at which point there's no alternative but to drive into town, the ultimate frustration.

"It's hard to believe that after all these years of talking about public transportation no one seems to be addressing the central problem of how to access the system unless one can walk to the station."

With more than 43,000 spaces in 150 locations, the MBTA claims to be the largest owner of off-street paid parking in New England. In 2007, more than 9 million vehicles were parked at an MBTA-owned surface lot or garage.

But MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo said parking lot expansion is a problem, particularly along the Fitchburg line, because the stations and platforms are owned by the T, but the parking lots are not.

He said there were plans several years ago to add a second deck to the parking lot in South Acton that would double the 287 available spaces, but the Acton Transportation Advisory Committee decided not to proceed because abutters were concerned about congestion in the area.

As for Alewife, where 2,733 parking spaces are now available, Pesaturo said there are no plans for an increase in parking, because "the T is not in a financial position to acquire land for parking."

Guns and the MBTA

Scott Wadland was startled while he was preparing to board a train at South Station this month. "As I was walking down the platform, I noticed a man in front of me with a Wackenhut Security uniform who was carrying a firearm in a holster on his belt. After getting on the train, I was not sure if I should notify the conductor, for fear of starting a panic on the train.

"In retrospect, it concerns me that this man was allowed on a crowded passenger train while carrying a firearm. I can understand if the MBTA Police are on board, but this appeared to be a private citizen. Are there any policies in place (like those on Amtrak) that prohibit weapons on the train?"

It depends on whether the security guard had a firearms permit. "The carrying of firearms in Massachusetts is governed and controlled by Massachusetts General Law," said John Martino, MBTA Transit Police deputy chief. "Persons with a valid permit may carry firearms as allowed, and in accordance with any and all restrictions noted on the permit."