Maribyrnong Council to reintroduce parking meters to Footscray

A decision to introduce paid parking in Yarraville four years ago stirred up such fury, two councillors were assaulted and the meters quickly switched off. But the council has now shocked with plans to relocate them elsewhere.

Yarraville traders and shoppers successfully protested in 2015 to have parking meters suspended.

Maribyrnong Council have been slammed for plans to introduce paid parking to Footscray.

The council this morning announced on its Facebook page that parking meters will be turned on in parts of the suburb from June 24.

The council says the introduction of paid parking will help free up congested streets, after an investigation in January revealed parking spaces were at 85 per cent capacity.

But the plan has been widely criticised online.

Lisa Bonner said she felt sorry for the “poor traders [and] shop owners” who would “miss out on customers”.

“Why go into Footscray to shop [or] eat when I have to pay for parking, when I can go to Sunshine [or] Highpoint and park for free. Bad decision council,” Ms Bonner said.

Many people have demanded evidence of consultation on the decision, while others have said it was unfair to take parking meters away from the wealthier suburb of Yarraville and introduce them to Footscray.

We're bringing back paid parking to Footscray. Parking sensors were installed in 2018 and found the occupancy of...

Posted by City of Maribyrnong on Thursday, 6 June 2019

More than 34 per cent of Yarraville households earned at least $2500 a week in 2016, compared to just 16.8 per cent of Footscray households.

Jamila Malkoun said it was “typical revenue raising by the council”.

The much-hated meters will come from Yarraville, where they were installed in 2015 but quickly switched off after fierce backlash from the community and traders, who blamed them for a 50 per cent drop in business.

RELATED NEWS: MARIBYRNONG COUNCILLOR KING HIT OVER YARRAVILLE PAID PARKING

MARIBYRNONG COUNCIL CONSIDERS REINTRODUCING PAID PARKING

MARIBYRNONG COUNCIL REFUSES TO CANCEL PARKING FINES

During a much-publicised, heated meeting about the Yarraville meters, Cr Grant Miles was king hit and Cr Nam Quach was picked up and “body slammed” to the floor.

A 61-year-old man was charged.

The council has lost almost $8 million in parking meter revenue since the 2015 freeze.

Maribyrnong Council have not yet said where the meters will be or what the hourly cost will be.