Parking time limits in Cleveland CBD could change in new trial
Cutting parking times in this beautiful shopping village south of Brisbane could help not only save it from a wave of for lease signs but assist in its mission to become the country’s best.
Redlands Coast
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Parking changes to picturesque coastal shopping strip could help make it ‘Australia’s most liveable town centre’.
Redland City Councillor Peter Mitchell’s (Division 2) said his plan to trial reduced time limits on some parking spaces in Bloomfield and Middle streets, Cleveland, from three hours to a mix of one hour or 30 minutes could help solve some of the struggling shopping business strip’s customer problems.
“Businesses have been asking me for quite some time for shorter term parking options,” Cr Mitchell said.
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He said the proposal, which would be put to a vote in tomorrow’s general council meeting, was in response to “written and verbal requests from businesses to investigate this gap in choice”.
The parking trial, which could last for six months, would focus on a select number of parking spaces around the intersection of the streets — near Westpac Bank, Subway and the council chambers.
He said the shorter term parking spaces would make it easier for customers needing to “quickly duck in and out” to find close parking.
Cr Mitchell said he was “thrilled” to be able to support businesses in the area, many of which had felt the full economic force of COVID-19.
He said while the parking trial would not solve all of the CBD’s issues — which include a growing number of for lease signs in windows — it could bring the retail, services and cafe destination one step closer to being an enviable local shopping centre.
“(My ambition is to see) Cleveland as Australia’s most liveable town centre,” he said.
Subway Cleveland owner Maureen Hogan said she was exited to see the trial go ahead after hearing from customers that they struggled to park near her shop to dash in and grab some lunch.
“We can’t get people who are coming into town to get something that is just to eat,” she said.
“Tradespeople say we can’t call in there because we can’t get a park.”
She said COVID-19 lockdowns highlighted the issue when she saw a large jump in the number of tradies arriving in her store, because the reduction in people out and about meant they could find easy parking.
“(They said) usually we have to bypass it.
“I just really think we need to have a bit more access,” she said.
“We’ve got a beautiful village atmosphere... we just need to maximise what (parking) we have so we can cater for the businesses that are there”.