In an effort to reduce traffic congestion, Melbourne’s city center’s parking structure may undergo a significant renovation.
After a recent survey that revealed more than 80% of drivers struggled to find an on-street parking place during their most recent visit, the City of Melbourne wants to introduce steps to make parking in the CBD easier and more equitable.
The draught Park and Kerbside Management Plan includes a number of suggested adjustments, including streamlined signage, modified loading zones, and more uniform parking space layouts and durations.
Sally Capp, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, stated that the council has no plans to raise the CBD’s existing maximum hourly parking cost of $7.
There are no plans to raise the charge at all, but there are some ideas to cut the rate during less-busy hours to entice visitors to the city during those hours when there are more parking spaces available, she said.
“We are certainly open to explore cutting the price if doing so will help with that.”
Because around 30% of traffic in the Downtown was made up of drivers cruising to find a park, Ms. Capp expressed her hope that the planned adjustments would reduce “parking anxiety” and congestion.
Wider pathways, tram stops, and more open space are among the other needs that have been identified along with changes to loading zones and the release of some on-street parking.
The council anticipates a 10% reduction in fines from improved parking notices.
The council only oversees 10,000 paid on-street parking spaces throughout the municipality, despite the fact that motor vehicles make more than 760,000 trips into and through the city every day.
Only 1,800 of such spots—less than 5% of the total parking capacity—are in the CBD.
With 193,600 spots in the city, off-street parking accounts for 90% of the total supply, the vast majority of parking capacity, and the bulk of spaces that are open at any given moment.
The council said that the “shifting rhythm” of the city had caused a change in people’s parking habits, with weekends now being busier in the Core than weekdays and there being a greater need for parking on Saturday and Sunday.
After complaints about a lack of kerbside space and disruptions to truck deliveries, the council postponed its plans to implement new bike lanes in the CBD in June of last year.
According to Ms. Capp, the council is keen to hear opinions on the suggested approach from drivers, business owners, delivery truck drivers, and others.
We are really anticipating their participation in this conversation in order to make the system function optimally and maintain a steady flow of traffic in our city, she said.
Council members will discuss the proposal at a meeting on March 21.
