Port Phillip Council investigates free parking in Fitzroy St, St Kilda

HERE’S a new one. In a bid to revitalise St Kilda’s struggle strip, Port Phillip Council is looking at making parking free in Fitzroy St, a move which would cost it more than $350,000.

St Kilda - Fitzroy St Vox pops

PAID parking could be removed from Fitzroy St under a council plan to boost trade on the struggling strip.

Traders from both Fitzroy and Acland streets have also welcomed a council’s decision to reduce both strips’ high footpath trading fees – but said they still needed more council help.

Port Phillip Council last night resolved to review the area’s parking system, and investigate removing or reducing parking fees - welcome news for traders who have suffered loss of business on the once-thriving strip.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Would free parking bring you back to Fitzroy St? Tell us below

A council review of parking restrictions – to further reduce or remove paid parking fees in the Fitzroy St area altogether — will be done by November 30.

This could mean a potential $357,000 annual loss of paid parking revenue to the council.

But trader Daniel De Vries said it would be worth it.

“The place is already deserted during winter months, so if people have to pay for parking it’s just another reason for them to go somewhere else,” Mr de Vries said.

A franchisee and operational manager of Schniz on Acland St, Mr de Vries said he currently paid about $2000 a year to keep just two tables on the footpath.

“This is the third year we’ve been here with high expenses, rent and footpath trading fees so it’s good to see some progress has been made,” he said.

RELATED: Long wait on CCTV cameras for Fitzroy St

In a unanimous decision councillors agreed to “equalise: footpath trading fees across the city, with Acland and Fitzroy streets to be reclassified from ‘premium areas’ to ‘standard areas’ under the council’s footpath trading structure, backdated to July 1.

The street furniture charges for Fitzroy Street are $109 per table and $135 per seat/person,while under the new fee structure, the charges drop to $73 per table and $108 per seat/person.

In recognising the “difficult trading circumstances” experienced by businesses in Fitzroy and Acland streets, councillors agreed they should not be subjected to higher footpath trading fees than other Port Phillip street retailers.

President of the Fitzroy Street Precinct Trader Association Roger Wyndham said he had witnessed 22 vacancies from the area in recent times.

The street has been struggling with anti-social behaviour and violence, as well as a winter trade downturn.

The council has already agreed to install CCTV on the strip, and is doing a million-dollar streetscape facelift in time for the summer tourism peak.

Speaking at last night’s meeting, Cr Andrew Bond commended the decision, saying this was another step towards restoring life back into the precinct.

“But council is not in control of all the steps – landlords need to play a part too,” he said.