Wollongong paid parking gripes 'will fade'

By Laurel-Lee Roderick
Updated November 6 2012 - 12:00am, first published March 21 2010 - 10:33am
The new parking meters open for business today in a revolution for parking in Wollongong city. Picture: ADAM MCLEAN
The new parking meters open for business today in a revolution for parking in Wollongong city. Picture: ADAM MCLEAN

Fears that thousands of shoppers will desert the Wollongong CBD after the official start of metered parking today are likely to prove unfounded, business leaders from other regional cities have revealed.Canberra and Newcastle business groups have told the Mercury paid parking works well in their cities and has significantly improved the turnover of vehicles parking in the city.But slugging motorists to park in the city centre is unlikely to deliver any additional parking stations until CBD parking becomes significantly more expensive.

  • EDITORIAL: Flat out trying to understand meter system
  • Shoppers, stallholders slam parking meters
  • Meter maids minus the bikinis in WollongongFrom today, Wollongong City Council will begin enforcing 850 metered spaces throughout the city, which will be serviced by 141 "pay and display" machines. Motorists will be required to pay a flat $2 fee to park in a half-hour, one-hour or two-hour space. The ticket dispensed by the machine must be displayed on the dashboard and drivers will need to vacate the space at the end of the time limit, or risk being fined. "Topping up" the meter to stay in the space will be illegal.Wollongong businesses are afraid the metered parking will drive customers from the city to shopping centres with free parking. The Illawarra Business Chamber is also unhappy the meters have come ahead of any real alternatives being provided for all-day parking and city employees.ACT Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Chris Peters said there had been a negative impact on businesses when paid parking was first rolled out in Canberra, but the business downturn was short-lived."When it was first introduced there was a backlash but people quickly got used to it," Mr Peters said.Consumers adapted so well that the chamber led a campaign to lift the cost of parking last year. Mr Peters said motorists had forgotten about the price hike within a month. "Business won't put up a four-storey car park if it is not commercially viable," he said."Higher parking costs will attract investors to provide more car parking."Hunter Business Chamber chief executive Peter Shinnick said Newcastle had similar issues with a shortage of private car parks."The price has been so low that it hasn't been viable in the past for developers to open private car parks," Mr Shinnick said.He said paid CBD parking had pushed commuters into suburban streets on the city fringe, prompting the council to expand paid parking zones. But he said most workers and shoppers either accepted the need to pay for parking or were prepared to park for free up to 1km away."Business will always say they don't want paid parking," Mr Shinnick said. "But otherwise there will be people who come and park all day outside their shops. We need some way to move them on. I think it works and is affordable."
  • Subscribe now for unlimited access.

    $0/

    (min cost $0)

    or signup to continue reading

    See subscription options

    Get the latest Wollongong news in your inbox

    Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date.

    We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.