RADICAL changes are on the horizon for car parking in Ballarat’s Central Business District.
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The city’s chief executive Anthony Schinck has announced the City of Ballarat is reviewing its car parking strategy, with an aim to completely revamp and remodel existing parking laws.
As pressure mounts on the council to roll-out a plan to tackle the growing shortage of car spaces in the CBD, Mr Schinck revealed simply increasing the number of on street car parks was unsustainable.
He said the predicted swell in population and industry growth far exceeded any number of car parks able to geographically fit on the city’s streets.
Ideas floated include building car parks in suburbia with shuttle buses to take people into the CBD and the establishment of another multi-deck car park.
But Mr Schinck said building multi-deck car parks was costly and it was difficult to entice commercial interest for joint funding.
“It works in the heart of Melbourne because you are pay high parking fees and developers are willing to build a car park because of the revenue raised in return,” Mr Schinck said.
“The situation is different in a regional city because people are less willing to pay those hefty fees when there are other parking options. While it there is still scope to explore the idea, it could be argued it’s disincentive or unviable.”
He said improving public transport timetables and providing bus shuttles to and from the city were more cost effective options.
“A shuttle service would be ideal for CBD workers and people wanting to spend the day in the city without having to worry about parking,” Mr Schinck said.
While Cr Samantha MMcIntoswelcomed the move, she said the financial responsibility must lie with council.
Cr McIntosh requested the draft car parking plan be fast tracked by council officers last month but warned the financial burden can’t be handed to businesses.
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"It’s our responsibility to remodel the strategy and have parking options that would entice more entrepreneurs to further activate the CBD," she said. “We need to be thinking of how to draw developers in not push them away.The CBD is in absolute need for more parking and this strategy is part of a big picture plan to put in the work now our economy continues to grow.”
Other ideas include free parking on weekends and reviewing parking time limits. The release of car parking plan will coincide with a review of the city’s public transport system. Mr Schinck said getting public transport right was a “key ingredient”in connecting people to the CBD.
An online poll of hundreds of readers by The Courier found 76 per cent would prefer to walk 300 metres from free parking outside the CBD,12 per cent would pay $4 an hour to park in a multi-deck car park, 6 per cent wanted a shuttle service and 6 per cent would use public transport. The plan will be complete by December.