Lismore mayor's proposal to slash hospital parking costs

NEW mayor Isaac Smith hopes to cut Dalziell St all-day parking costs at Lismore Base Hospital by more than half.

REDUCED COSTS: Changes to parking fees on Dalziell Street are hoped to help alleviate parking pressures in the area. Picture: Cathy Adams

LISMORE mayor Isaac Smith hopes to cut the cost of all-day parking in Dalziell St near Lismore Base Hospital by more than half.

Sticking true to his election promise to resolve the hospital's on-going parking issues, Cr Smith hopes to use his mayoral minute at tomorrow night's council meeting to kick-start changes to the controversial Lismore Base Hospital Parking Strategy.

The first of Cr Smith's proposed changes is to slash current paid parking costs in Dalziell St from $5 all-day to $2.

He will also recommend the council "consult with RMS on council's proposed changes to the pricing of paid parking in Dalziell St and seeking Roads and Maritime Service concurrence to vary from the RMS Pay Parking Guidelines".

Former Member for Page, Janelle Saffin, said she was well-versed in the hospital's parking woes, having served on regional health boards and in her tenure as the Federal Member.

Ms Saffin called Cr Smith's changes to Dalziell St as "a good step in the right direction" but said the issue was complex.

"There's no easy way of working any of this out," she said.

"I think anything to make it fairer is good and it wasn't fair."

Ms Saffin said she hoped for free hospital parking across all NSW health precincts.

Along with changes to paid parking on Dalziell St, Cr Smith recommended" the council seek RMS advice on the possible implications and proper process for rolling out future parking changes, such as: changing the mix of paid parking in Hunter St to provide an all day parking option; reducing the paid parking fees in Uralba St and extending paid parking into weekend periods.

Chief executive of the Northern NSW Local Health District Wayne Jones said while the health district is supportive of on-street parking changes that alleviate residents and staff concerns, they "will remain focused on ensuring the recent benefits which hospital patients, visitors and families have experienced when parking around the hospital, is taken into consideration by the Council during their deliberations."