Raising Wollongong parking fees by 50 per cent would be ‘‘the nail in the coffin’’ for many struggling businesses in the city centre, Downtown Newsagency owner Noel Perry said on Wednesday.
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The suggestion to extend metered parking hours and put up parking charges by 50 per cent was one of a suite of recommendations made by Wollongong City Council’s controversial citizens panel this week.
In the 2012-13 financial year the council earned $1.2 million from parking meters, and the panel hopes a hike in prices would add an extra $600,000 to the council’s bottom line to help fund infrastructure renewal.
If accepted by councillors, a proposed 50 per cent rise would mean the cost of parking would be $3 an hour in some areas, while stopping for half an hour in Lower Crown Street near Mr Perry’s shop would cost 75¢ instead of 50¢.
The newsagent said his business had already suffered due to parking meters, and didn’t know if he and other retailers would be able to survive ‘‘another blow’’.
‘‘To think of putting these fees up is like driving a nail into the coffin, because things are tough as it is without further discouragement,’’ he said.
‘‘They might as well put road blocks up and say we’re closed for business.’’
Wise Eyes Optical owner Andrew Reveley, who has been a vocal opponent of parking meters since they were introduced in 2010, also voiced his concerns about the proposed hike.
‘‘I would be dead against any raise because the cost of on-street parking to some degree assists GPT, who own the majority of car parks in the city centre, in setting their fees,’’ he said.
‘‘Wollongong is one of the few shopping centres in Australia that doesn’t have some form of free parking – whether that’s one hour or three hours or something – and raising the parking fees on the street will lead to a raise in off-street fees too.
‘‘And that will just further reduce the number of people coming into town to spend their dollars.’’
These sentiments were echoed by Illawarra Business Chamber chief Debra Murphy, who said a rise in parking costs would ‘‘be detrimental to businesses within the CBD’’.
The proposal was also unpopular among Illawarra Mercury readers, who took to social media to express their thoughts.
When asked on Facebook what they thought of the panel’s suggested changes to CBD parking, some respondents labelled them ‘‘ridiculous’’ and said they would be more likely to shop at retail centres like Shellharbour and Miranda if fees went up.
Sabrina Alister said she thought ‘‘Wollongong [would] become even more of a ghost town’’ while Michelle Garcia said she thought ‘‘the council [was] trying to entice people back to the mall, not the opposite’’.
‘‘The parking prices are reasonable at the moment [and] increasing the fees will decrease patronage,’’ Phil McQuade said.
‘‘It doesn’t make any sense, especially with the current construction in the mall already affecting trade.’’
However, some said they would be happy to pay 50per cent more in parking fees for the convenience of being able to find a space and shop closer to home.
Residents are encouraged to comment on all recommendations at haveyoursaywollongong. com.au before November 20, before the councillors debate them at a council meeting on December 9.
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