Bayside Council to investigate electronically monitoring cars at Church St shopping strip

BAYSIDE council will investigate using cameras to track and enforce parking limits at its popular Church St shopping precinct.

Visitors to Brighton’s bustling Church St shopping precinct could soon have their parked cars monitored electronically.

BAYSIDE Council will investigate the use of electronic systems such as cameras to monitor parking and collect data at Brighton’s Church St shopping precinct.

The data will be relayed to shopping centre style “real time parking signs” to be installed in areas leading into Church St.

Information will also be made available on an app.

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The purpose of the electronic system will be to make parking easier, quicker and more efficiently to find.

It could also be used to track parking times and enforce time limits.

Many councils including Melbourne, Manningham and Yarra already use electronic systems such as ground sensors or cameras.

It’s understood, the council would prefer the camera option to map parking areas rather than ground sensors.

The plan was devised after a feasibility study into the proposed redevelopment of two council owned car parks on Wells St and Black St was “inconclusive”.

As a result, the Wells/Black St project has been shelved while the electronic plan is investigated.

Central Ward councillor Rob Grinter said the plan would bring the council “into the 21st century”.

“People are driving around for hours looking for spots like it’s the 1970s,” he said.

“The purpose of collecting parking data is to make it easier for people to find parking spots but it could be used to monitor parking times.”

Church Street Traders Association president Kieran Cromie said he was disappointed the council would not develop more parking.

“Our customers tell us how we they always drive around and around looking for spots so there’s clearly a shortage,” he said.

Motorists often drive “around and around” looking for spots on Church St.

“We’re under pressure from rising rents and we want additional parking.”

Mr Cromie said he was “supportive” of the council’s electronic plan as long as it was “accurate”.

Cr Grinter said the Wells/Black St parking plan was “not dead yet”.

“We just want to get better info and make sure we’re doing it right,” he said.

“Each spot costs about $30,000 to produce so we want to make sure if we build new spots, we’re building the right amount in the right locations.”

A report on electronic parking plan including the costs will be presented to councillors in February 2019.

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