Council reviewing preferred parking for EV and hybrid vehicles outside aquatic centre

Signage has been covered up and a review is being conducted into specialised parking for electric and hybrid vehicles in Norlane.

Preferred parking spaces, or 'green spaces', for EVs and hybrid vehicles outside the Norlane ARC (Aquatic Recreation Centre). Photo: Alan Barber

The council has walked back their “preferred parking” initiative for electric and hybrid vehicles outside a newly opened aquatic centre in light of widespread criticism.

The specialised ‘green spaces’ and accompanying signage at the carpark outside the Norlane Aquatic Recreation Centre is currently being reviewed by the City of Greater Geelong.

Having been introduced only recently, the spaces have confused locals and provided more questions than answers.

Before the signs were covered up this week, signage around the parking spaces read: “preferred parking for electric or hybrid vehicles.”

There are currently 20 green spaces for cars and another eight for motorbikes and scooters.

Preferred parking spaces, or 'green spaces', for EVs and hybrid vehicles outside the Norlane ARC (Aquatic Recreation Centre). Photo: Alan Barber

City Life executive director, Anthony Basford, said they introduced the preferred parking initiative to achieve a five star “Green Star” building rating for the Norlane ARC development.

“One of the available measures to help achieve this rating is the installation of preferred parking spaces for hybrid and electric vehicles,” Mr Basford said.

“As such, the design of the Norlane ARC included a quota of 10 per cent of parking spaces designated for this purpose.”

Launched in 2020 by Green Building Council Australia, the Green Star rating system offers projects “certification and promotion benefits” as well as aligning with the council’s Sustainable Building Policy.

Mr Basford said it had become clear that preferred parking for EVs was not “practical” given the positioning and amount of parking spaces.

“The signs designating the spaces as preferred for hybrid/electric vehicles have been covered while our staff conduct a review,” he said.

“We will be aiming to find a solution that enables the facility to maintain its Green Star rating, while making more spaces within proximity of the facility available to all vehicle users.”

Preferred parking signage earlier this week and that same signage covered up on Saturday. Picture: Facebook/ Alan Barber

Geelong residents took to social media to share their confusion and frustration about the signage on Tuesday, before it was covered up by council.

“Preferred parking? Does not say no parking?” one local wrote.

“Absolutely stupid,” another said.

As off May this year, there are only 82 registered EVs in Norlane, Corio and North Shore, which is a fraction of the approximately 8,000 total vehicles in the area according to the latest ABS data.

While the regulations regarding “preferred parking” remain unclear, it is believed any car make or model can park in the green spaces, not just EVs and hybrids.

Australian Electric Vehicle Association president, Dr Chris Jones, said giving electric vehicle owners special treatment was a slippery slope the City of Greater Geelong should avoid.

“AEVA believes that preferential parking shouldn’t be offered to EVs because it creates a culture of entitlement and ratepayers would soon resent EV drivers,” Dr Jones said.

He added specialised parking for EVs only made sense if there was an attached charging station.

“Free charging should be avoided too; it’s an entitlement which is often exploited heavily,” he said.

A hands-on electric vehicle enthusiast and advocate, Dr Jones said EVs were on the “up and up” and now accounted for just under 10 per cent of new fleet vehicles in Australia.

Dr Jones challenged local council and government bodies to consider switching their fleet vehicles to electric cars, which he argues are a more cost effective option in the current economic climate.

Originally published as Council reviewing preferred parking for EV and hybrid vehicles outside aquatic centre