A trip to South Beach this summer will be a bit easier thanks to the creation of almost 100 extra parking spaces.
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The spaces will be available in what is now the bus bays along the beachside - which has long been seen as an odd location for a layover.
Transport for NSW has moved the bus parking to on-street locations while planning for permanent locations for bus layovers is completed.
The temporary change has been made as part of the planning for the city's hosting of the UCI Road World Championships in September.
"We're grateful to Transport for NSW and bus operators for working with us to support the successful delivery of this event," said Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery.
"The moving of the bus parking to on-street locations around the city centre is temporary and is being done to allow the preparatory works for the races to be completed and the running of the championships during event time.
"In the coming months, council will be working with Transport for NSW, bus operators, residents and businesses on a long-term solution to the bus parking and layovers in the city."
Council said the parking spaces will be marked out after the cycling race is finished, estimating there will be more than 70 new parking spaces.
Council's General Manager Greg Doyle said the creation of extra parking was in response to public feedback about improved access to beaches.
"We are responding to this with a short to medium-term solution by marking out these additional car spaces post-world championships and then we'll look at how we might improve this precinct into the future," Mr Doyle said.
"It really is exciting because, if you imagine the average car parked here has four passengers, this step means we're making it easier for almost 300 people to park here and have easy access to our beaches at any given time.''
Work is also under way in this area to prepare the race circuit for the UCI championships.
From May through to August, work will be carried out to realign Marine Drive in order to create a straight, safe section of road leading to the finish line that meets UCI regulations and also overlooks the Wollongong coastline.
"Being the host city for the 2022 UCI road championships is providing us with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step back and make sure that we're presenting the best Wollongong has to offer to the global audience that will attend and tune into this exciting event," Cr Bradbery said.
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
