Moreton Bay Regional Council introduce smart car parking system in North Lakes CBD

PEOPLE who park all day in the North Lakes CBD are being targeted under a council initiative aimed at increasing short-term parking opportunities.

All-day parking in a north Brisbane suburb is being targeted under a “smart car-parking system” initiative for the CBD.

PEOPLE who park all day in the North Lakes CBD are being targeted under a council initiative aimed at increasing short-term parking opportunities.

Councillors at their May 30 meeting voted to call for expressions of interest for the design, installation and operation of a “smart car-parking system” for the suburb’s commercial area.

However, there was no alternative option proposed for all-day parking areas, with those people left to find alternative arrangements in an already congested CBD.

The new $400,000 system would integrate with Smart Technology, the exact manner of which is as yet unknown as it was the first of its kind in the region.

“Council will utilise a public expressions of interest process to better understand what technology is available,” a spokeswoman said.

A report to councillors stated it could involve “variable message signage” that provided real-time parking information to road-users via a mobile app.

The system could also feed data to enforcement officers.

“The aim of this project is to develop and implement a parking system that will limit all-day parking in the CBD and encourage short-term parking (two-three hours),” the report said.

“The street parking in the CBD is now busy with all-day parkers reducing the availability of short-term parking for people in transit and local business customers.”

The report said the lack of short-term parking in the CBD began when Westfield implemented its pay system and pushed all-day parkers to look elsewhere.