HCC aldermen Simon Behrakis says Hobart’s parking squeeze means trade was diverted elsewhere

Failure to act on commuter parking clogging residential Hobart streets will harm city businesses and their employees, a Hobart councillor says, who urges his fellow councillors to speak up >>

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FAILURE to act on commuter parking clogging residential Hobart streets will harm city businesses and their employees, a Hobart councillor says.

The comments from Alderman Simon Behrakis follow revelations from South Hobart Progress Association president Philip Hoystead that residents and commuters were reportedly verbally “brawling” over competition for parking in South Hobart.

Residents in North Hobart, without off-street parking, have also said they sometimes parked blocks away from their property amid competition for parking spots.

Mr Behrakis echoed comments from Tasmanian Small Business Council chief Robert Mallett that Hobart businesses were suffering from greater Hobart’s parking squeeze.

Simon Behrakis will run for a seat on Hobart City Council.Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“The lack of parking is becoming more of an issue. It’s a problem impacting on the amenity of residents, and making it more difficult for commuters to travel to Hobart to work or shop,” he said.

“This is leading to numerous reports of people wanting to avoid going into the city and instead taking their business to other municipalities.”

He said failure to act on parking problems would “directly harm local businesses and their employees”, adding his fellow aldermen needed to step up.

“It’s high time councillors set aside their ideology and address the problem that is staring them in the face,” he said.

In response, Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds suggested Mr Behrakis could make a submission to the council’s parking department for his ideas to be considered.

“He hasn’t outlined an actual proposal but I presume he is preparing some data or talking with the relevant council staff on options,” she said.

Ms Reynolds said all three levels of government had made commitments to Hobart transport targets. Transport Minister Michael Ferguson said the state government had committed $16m to improve traffic flow on Macquarie and Davey streets, including bus priority measures.

“Construction of a fifth lane on the Southern Outlet will connect to bus priority lanes in the city,” he said. “Other measures to boost public transport patronage includes $1.2m to examine bus prioritisation measures from Glenorchy to the Hobart CBD.”

EARLIER:

RESIDENTS and commuters are “brawling” in a daily struggle for parking spaces on greater Hobart residential streets.

CBD workers are filling most of the available unrestricted car parking spaces between the Sandy Bay and Battery Point commercial areas, the Hobart City Council says.

Commuter parking also extends into most of the unrestricted spaces in North Hobart, South Hobart and West Hobart.

North Hobart resident Jillian Mundy this week said she is often forced to park blocks away from her Strahan St property after struggling to secure a spot outside her home, which does not have off-street parking.

“You’d think the council would be looking to increase parking in the area, not minimise it.” North Hobart residents are...

Posted by The Mercury Newspaper on Tuesday, 9 February 2021

South Hobart Progress Association president Phillip Hoystead said competition for parking had been a long-standing issue that required transport solutions.

“Commuter parking is the single biggest issue the association deals with,” he said.

“It’s often raised at general meetings. And I’ve heard stories of motorists and residents verbally brawling over competition for a park.

“Longer term, authorities have got to do something to improve transport into Hobart like make adequate transit stations at Kingston and provide a priority bus lane on the Southern Outlet.

“The services need to be reliable so that people want to use them.”

Tasmanian Small Business Council chief executive Robert Mallett agreed, saying the issue was discouraging people from seeking city work.

“People will look at it and say ‘where can I park’,” he said.

“The HCC has not done enough to consider the needs of the business community, its largest ratepayer base.”

Mr Mallett said “a huge opportunity was lost” during the height of the pandemic when “little promotion and encouragement was done about the period of free bus travel”.

Cars line Digney Street in Dynnyrne. Picture: Chris Kidd

HCC infrastructure committee chair Bill Harvey said the council had “known for a long time” that commuter parking was an issue.

“The only way to truly solve this is to give people a better range of transport options,” he said.

“Until we have a public transport network that is in line with capital city standards, changing commuter travel preferences will continue to be a challenge.”

Cr Harvey said council parking enforcement in problem areas increased parking turnover and made it easier for residents to get a park.

Transport Minister Michael Ferguson said multiple projects were underway to improve access to the city from the north, east and south.

“A new trial bus service will see around 20 additional express services between Kingborough and the Hobart CBD during morning peak from mid this year,” he said.

“While the state government progresses additional public transport, there are continuing calls by residents and traders for more parking spaces, not less, and I hope Hobart City Council will respond positively.”