Paid parking back on council's agenda

DESPITE frustrated messages from residents the last time Byron Shire Council tried to implement paid parking it could potentially be investigated again.

REVENUE RAISING: The option of paid parking meters could be investigated by Byron Shire Council. Picture: Warren Lynam

DESPITE frustrated messages from residents the last time Byron Shire Council tried to implement paid parking in Bangalow, Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads, the potential of metered parking could be investigated again.

Council temporarily backed down on a paid parking scheme in Bangalow in December 2017 following a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and community led protest.

But now staff are asking councillors to consider options to help parking officers monitor parking in the shire.

A staff report going to the next council meeting on May 23 recommends council "investigate more options to help increase compliance" within the Bangalow, Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads parking scheme, including increasing patrolling, and introducing technology such as in ground parking sensors and parking meters.

Other recommendations include modifying certain parking spaces in each town, and undertaking an Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) survey of the parking schemes to assess if the modifications result in a change in demand, duration rates and parking patterns.

The idea is for council to investigate which combination is the most cost effective and report recommendations back to council seven months after the survey commences.

The report states Bangalow, Brunswick Heads and Mullumbimby parking schemes are identified as either "approaching capacity or expected to exceed capacity in the near future".

"The demand placed on the existing parking schemes is expected to undergo significant strain due to substantial tourist demand over the near future," traffic engineers Andrew Pearce said in the report.

A performance review on Bangalow found current parking schemes were approaching capacity at most times of the year.

Based on council's observation and community issues staff propose modified parking schemes and support compliance teams by providing extra personnel and equipment and investigate the option of introducing technology, such as, parking sensors and metered system within 1P and 2P time zones in Bangalow.

Other staff recommendation include changing all 31 three hour time spaces to two hour in Brunswick Heads, and complete an economic assessment into the potential impact of parking technology.

Byron Shire Council will meet 9am Thursday.