Maribyrnong Council considers reintroducing paid parking for Footscray and Yarraville streets

A COUNCIL in Melbourne’s west is considering the reintroduction of paid parking.

PAID parking could return to Yarraville and Footscray streets.

Maribyrnong Council will monitor parking levels across the municipality and seek feedback from traders and residents before changing parking restrictions after adopting a parking management policy last week.

The policy follows widespread criticism of the council’s decision to install paid parking meters in Yarraville in 2015, which were
then turned off indefinitely in December that year, along with meters in Footscray.

Dr Trevor Junge of Yarraville Health Group said he was pleased to see the council was taking a more consultative approach, but said traders still wanted the meters gone.

“The criticism I’ve always had is that council seemed to have made half-baked decisions, so this policy is a step in the right direction,”
Dr Junge said. “But there is still
no need for paid parking.

“I think parking can be managed perfectly well by time limits and enforcement.”

The new policy has a clause that states the council will not introduce paid parking unless time restriction measures are not working.

Parking areas with an occupancy rate between 65 to 85 per cent will not be changed.

Councillor Sarah Carter praised the new policy, saying she felt the decision to bring in parking meters two years ago was “rushed”.

Cr Martin Zakharov said it was a “rational” approach and a “turning point” in one of the biggest issues to face the council in recent years.

The Yarraville meters were vandalised a number of times after they were installed and two councillors were attacked in a meeting when they voted against a motion to turn off the meters.

Maribyrnong Leader also previously reported how some businesses blamed the meters for closing or experiencing a drop in trade by at least 50 per cent.