Parramatta Council endorses CBD parking strategy

A strategy to tackle Parramatta’s parking woes has been rolled out but the problem is so intense a restaurateur has stopped taking bookings as his customers scramble to find vacant spots.

A $10 million parking plan to solve parking woes in Parramatta CBD has been implemented but critics such as restaurant owners say it will take a lot more to fix the problem which “is beyond a joke”.

Parramatta Council is spending the figure on its recently-endorsed CBD parking strategy in an effort to replace spaces that have been obliterated through the demolition of major multi-deck carparks in the CBD.

Carparks that have been demolished include the Lennox Bridge, the Riverbank which was cleared for the Powerhouse Museum and City Centre Carpark at Horwood Place where the metro station will be built.

Those alone meant almost 2000 spots vanished. There were 26,909 car spots across the Parramatta area in 2019 including those owned by Parramatta Council, Westfield shopping centre and 21 private carparks.

Riverbank Carpark is demolished in April 2021 to make way for the Parramatta Powerhouse Museum.

Under a short-term strategy, the council aims to increase occupancy rates from 65 per cent to 90 per cent in remaining council-run carparks and by using spare capacity at carparks just outside the CBD including 200 spots at Parramatta Leagues Club and 600 at Rosehill Racecourse.

Other changes in the next 12 months will be making the Eat Street carpark to a visitor-only site for a maximum of four hours to support business and parking for more than four hours in other carparks will be for office workers.

Electric vehicle charging stations at the Eat Street and Justice Precinct carparks will be installed as part of a two-year plan.

Long term plans (after two years) will see the redevelopment of the Fennell St carpark at North Parramatta which was shut to make way for the light rail.

The council has been encouraged to provide less parking for workers so it is in line with Sydney CBD. Parramatta delivered one car space for every 1.8 workers in 2019, compared with one space for every six workers in Sydney CBD.

The Eat Street Carpark at Parramatta will be targeting visitors for short-term parking no longer than four hours.

The Covid trend of people working from home is expected to continue. However, Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said the demand for parking was forecast to jump after he cited the Productivity Commission data that showed part time office workers were more likely to drive to work than use public transport.

The changes are seen as a win for championing public transport use and for the council to cut CO2 emissions.

Parramatta Lord Mayor Donna Davis said the short, medium and long term plans would also link to public transport projects including the light rail and Metro once operating.

“Together, these projects will improve how people move to, from and around our city and make it even more accessible and liveable – with or without a car,’’ she said.

But it has also repelled visitors keen to socialise at Parramatta on weekends.

Mama’s and Papa’s owner John Chammas supports the council’s plan to work with private operators, such as developers who could allocate public parking in their apartment towers.

“If they’re allowing 55-storey high rises the developer could give five-storeys for a carpark back to the public,’’ he said.

“It’s beyond a joke now because they keep knocking down carparks in the CBD of Parramatta and not replacing them.

Parking shortages have adversely affected Mama and Papa's restaurateur John Chammas’ Church St business. Picture: John Appleyard

“Without a doubt the biggest issue restaurants have is a loss of bookings. We have people coming in late because people are trying to find parking. They’re an hour late because they can’t find parking so we stopped taking bookings. We don’t take bookings beyond 6.30pm now.’’

However, not all is lost.

“I don’t know where people park or where they put their cars but on game day and Friday or Saturday nights, Parramatta is chocker block,’’ Mr Chammas said.

“I don’t have any answers.’’

El-Phoenician owner John El-Bayeh blamed the suburb’s parking drain as one of the factors that led him to close their Lebanese restaurant after 24 years on Church St.

“The customers aren’t going to catch the light rail to come to functions in their stilettos,’’ Mr El-Bayeh said in February when announcing the decision.

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