Glenferrie Rd faces parking cuts under Boroondara Council plan
Parking spaces are set to be slashed along one of Melbourne’s busiest shopping strips, with one of its major traders concerned it will drive away customers.
Inner East
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Up to 80 parking spaces could be removed from one of Melbourne’s busiest shopping strips as part of a council plan to revitalise and beautify the area.
But the manager of an independent cinema complex on Glenferrie Rd believes Boroondara Council’s plan to revamp the strip would cause more nightmares for patrons trying to get a park.
The council has begun a fresh wave of public consultation for its Glenferrie Place plan, which includes a major overhaul of Glenferrie Rd outside its transport hub.
Based on initial public feedback in 2021, the council plans to remove parking spots along Glenferrie Rd near the railway station and replace them with bike lanes, trees and expanded footpaths with seating.
It has presented three options to locals, with two involving the creation of additional parking at an existing carpark on nearby Park St, with one or more levels, to compensate for the loss of spaces on Glenferrie Rd.
The third option involves leaving the site as is and not replacing any spots removed for the proposed works.
Lido Cinemas general manager Cassidy Thomas said staff and patrons already struggled to find adequate parking nearby, and taking away more spots would impact their experience and potentially visitor numbers.
“A film is about two-and-half-hours, the closest parking is paid two hours, it doesn’t cut it as is, let alone taking away more parking,” she said.
“If anything, right now the road is thriving and fully functional, people understand how busy the hub is.
“Taking it (parking) away will make it harder for people to come down here.”
Ms Thomas said relocating spots to Park St would be “a better compromise than taking it away”, but felt there was adequate open space and greenery in the immediate area.
“I don’t understand the necessity to take away more parking to put in something we already have enough of,” she said.
According to the council, 74 per cent of respondents in the 2021 survey supported streetscape improvements to Glenferrie Rd, which it said was “dominated by vehicles and its footpaths are cramped”.
“To widen the footpaths and make improvements, we need to use some of the space that is currently designated as on-road parking spaces,’’ the council said.
“Of the 180 parking spaces along Glenferrie Rd, between 30 to 40 will become new public spaces for people.
“We also anticipate that, at later date, the Victorian Government will remove an additional 40 to 50 carparking spaces for tram stop upgrades.”
The council is planning a ‘workshop event’ for traders and stakeholders on March 28, and four in-person community consultation sessions during April.
Details: engage.boroondara.vic.gov.au
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