The City of Bunbury has put forward five options for paid parking, with one due to be implemented within the 2018/19 financial year.
City representatives held a planning forum for business owners and community representatives on Wednesday, July 18, with 160 people in attendance.
The city presented five options to the crowd:
- Reinstate the parking strategy with paid on-street parking, two-hours free visitor shopping parking, and available all-day parking;
- A modified strategy featuring paid first hour parking with the second hour free as well as all day parking for employees;
- A second modified strategy with a free first hour of parking and the second hour paid for;
- A third modified strategy with two hours free parking (with a ticket), two hours free parking for visitors and shoppers, and all-day parking for employees;
- Pre-parking strategy arrangements with free on-street parking and all car parks featuring paid parking.
Crowd members were able to give feedback on the city’s 12-month review of paid parking.
Some called for paid parking to be removed from the area altogether.
The first option would provide the city with a projected $806,196 annual return, while the fourth option would cost the city $13,305 each year.
The city revealed that income from on-street parking and car park parking (combined) has decreased from $1,886,936 across the 2016/17 financial year to $798,547 in 2017/18.
City of Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan said paid parking would likely continue.
“We need to continue to have a parking regime in our city centre, there’s no question about that,” he said.
“The staff will go through all of the responses, and will pick up on the themes.
“The preferred way forward for each key area will then be identified.”
Mr Brennan was pleased to see a variety of community members put up their hands and become part of the debate.
“There was a great spread of people there from the private sector right across to community groups and organisations,” he said.
“I was very pleased to see the turnout and the amount of questions generated.
“The views reflect how diverse we are and the points of view we have that are right across the city.”
A new online engagement portal, Social Pinpoint, has been set up for members of the public who did not attend the forum to express their views and ask questions.
The online avenue will remain open for public comment until August 18.
The City will soon hold two more events – one at Cafe 140 on August 3 and another during the South West Festival of Japan on August 11 – allowing community members to submit their responses.
Read more:
