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Gold Coast City Council considers three-hour parking limit crackdown in Helensvale

PARKING in these quiet suburban Gold Coast streets has become so bad a three-hour limit will be introduced to stop workers using them as a free carpark.

Carparking around Helensvale. Picture: William Owen-Jones.
Carparking around Helensvale. Picture: William Owen-Jones.

THREE-hour parking limits are set to be introduced in a northern Gold Coast suburb’s residential zone to stop workers from using their quiet streets as a carpark.

The drastic move is one of several being considered by the Gold Coast City Council after a spike in complaints from locals.

The Department of Education and Training last year moved its regional office to a new Hope Island Road complex.

HOW DEVELOPMENT BOOM COULD FORCE TWO-HOUR PARKING

Carparking around Helensvale. Picture: William Owen-Jones.
Carparking around Helensvale. Picture: William Owen-Jones.

But with more people than anticipated working in the building, the number of cars parking in nearby streets has sparked fury from locals and forced council to consider drastic options around Monterey Keys Drive.

Area Cr William Owen-Jones said the decisions would be made in coming weeks on how to best deal with the issue.

“There have been a lot of complaints because of the lack of parking in the impact it is having on the residents,” he said.

COAST RESIDENTS SCALPING PARKING PERMITS

Councillor William Owen-Jones. Photo: Jerad Williams
Councillor William Owen-Jones. Photo: Jerad Williams

“As a result we are looking at potentially introducing three-hour parking limits in certain sections,” he said.

“It is fair to say it was not imagined there would be this many people parking here and the building’s approval was in compliance with the 2003 planning scheme.

“I have met with city infrastructure staff and they will come back to use with a proposal for increased line-markings as well.”

PARKING PERMIT REVIEW DELAYED

Carparking around Helensvale. Picture: William Owen-Jones.
Carparking around Helensvale. Picture: William Owen-Jones.

Streets which are likely to be affected are Monterey Keys Drive to Arlene Park, Creekwood Place, Creekview Street, Greenwood Court and Lakewood Court

Improved line marking and signage was introduced on Monterey Keys Drive in July to help regulate and formalise the parking of vehicles.

Locals have also complained to council about an increase in cars speeding through the suburban streets.

The Department has more than 220 staff in the building but just 54 parking spaces attached to its lease.

Throughout 2017 they had informal access to basement parking but it was withdrawn by the property’s owner last month.

A parking time limit in areas around the building was also introduced by the building’s owner.

Carparking around Helensvale. Picture: William Owen-Jones.
Carparking around Helensvale. Picture: William Owen-Jones.

The Department of Education has been asked by council to explore with Queensland Rail the possibility of gaining access to the ‘park and ride’ car parking facility constructed under the heavy rail bridges for the Commonwealth Games

Cr Owen-Jones has approached Broadwater MP David Crisafulli to help resolve the issue.

Mr Crisafulli said the State Government needed to develop an alternative plan to allow workers to park without disrupting local residents.

“This is a real issue which is the result of some pretty poor planning and something must be done,” he said.

Broadwater MP David Crisafulli. Photo by Richard Gosling
Broadwater MP David Crisafulli. Photo by Richard Gosling

“The bigger issue is that there are a heap of people who through no fault of their own have nowhere to park and so people who bought into that residential area now have cars outside their house, through no fault of their own.

“What must happen now is that the State should come up with an alternative plan for places the workers can park.”

The council says it has no intentions of adding a three-hour parking limit to a city owned carpark at Mangrove Jack Park next to Saltwater Creek which has been used by workers for day parking.

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/gold-coast-city-council-considers-threehour-parking-limit-crackdown-in-helensvale/news-story/c9fb4ce72235dfe8d98bef12707f6bcd