But the draft plan,published on Friday afternoon,says the city does not recognise the value of the spaces parked cars take up and current meter prices fail to “encourage use of the significant off-street capacity”.
Parking meters are $7 an hour in the city centre and $4 an hour outside it,which compares to around $10 to $30 an hour in commercial CBD car parks during weekdays.
John Smith experienced the frustration shared by many when he drove into the CBD on Friday for a work meeting and spent 15 minutes “going around in circles” before finally finding a park on Lonsdale Street just before noon.
“I’ve just been trying to find somewhere to stop. The actual parking garages,I’ve got no idea what they cost,so it’s a bit of a nightmare,” Smith said,adding he was held up further by needing to get out of his car and decipher the parking signage. “You have to spend five minutes reading it to try and work out what it means — it doesn’t make sense”.
The council’s draft parking plan says it will simplify signage and,where possible,the same rules will apply consistently across different times of the day and week. Parking fines should fall about 10 per cent by making signage less confusing,the council said.
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Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra,who lead thecriticism which prompted the city to pause its bike lane program last year,said accessibility was a major deterrent from visiting the CBD which businesses wanted addressed.
“Car travel is the only option for some people and,if it’s made too hard or too expensive,they won’t come in at all,” Guerra said. “The city has already reduced available on-street carparks which has frustrated traders.”
The draft plan says one-third of people who visit the city for shopping or dining and entertainment drive there,and only half of those use on-street parking.
City of Melbourne has removed about one in five parking spots across the municipality since 2011 and replaced them with wider footpaths,trees,bike lanes and new tram stops. Parking spots were also turned intooutdoor dining “parklets” during the pandemic.
There are now 1537 metered parking spaces in the CBD and 10,419 across the wider City of Melbourne area — which compares to 193,600 spaces in commercial car parks and residential buildings and office buildings.
Monash University urban planning lecturer Elizabeth Taylor said there were far more off-street car spaces in the CBD than people needed to use them,with her research previously finding up to 40 per cent of residential parking spots are empty. That space could be used better,so loading zones and disability parking could be prioritised on the street.
“The only way to meet all those other needs — like accessibility — is to move those visitors off the street,” she said.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the council wanted the parking system to be simpler and fairer,while helping people understand their options for finding the easiest park.
“Parking spaces are in high demand and used in many different ways,” she said in a statement. “We want to hear from the community ... to make sure we get the balance right”.
The draft plan will go to councillors for endorsement at a meeting on March 21 and be open to community consultation until April 19. Councillors will vote on whether to put the plan into action.
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