Wangaratta car parking overhaul

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle - 28.10.08

Council to probe new areas and fee structure

Written by philip nolan.

A MAJOR overhaul of Wangaratta’s city centre car parking is on the way.

A new council plan details development of existing under-utilised car parks, development of new parking areas, identification of possible extra sites and some changes in car parking fee structure.

Council’s infrastructure services director, Stephen Onions, told last week’s council meeting that discussions on car parking had been going on since 2005.

He said there was a perception that parking in the city centre was inadequate and that the new strategy set out a process for managing parking needs on a staged basis.

He said the first phase involved consolidation and efficiency improvements in existing car parks, some of which had been developed on an "ad hoc" basis.

"Comments regarding parking spaces not being available for shoppers, business people and office workers necessitates a review of time limits.

"It may prove to be advantageous to allow inexpensive, longer term parking on the fringe of the central area with possibly pricier, shorter term parking in heavily trafficked areas," Mr Onions said.

He said that a review of parking fees could be considered a high priority if the "currently held perception" that parking fees were too high was correct.

"It appears from working group meetings that competing towns with the immediate area offer more attractive options where car parking is concerned.

"This, allied to the review of parking time limits, could significantly change the parking patterns currently experienced."

Parking areas which are under-utilised and could be developed include the end of Bickerton Street, Sydney beaches and the end of Baker St.

Mr Onions said there were a number of areas including adjacent to the new Aldi supermarket and adjacent to the Co-Store which could be redeveloped for parking.

"When captured as development sites, it may be possible to maximise public and private parking opportunities including possible multi-deck car parking," he said.

The three stages of the new strategy are set out over the next five years and council formally adopted the plan last week.