Parking is a key issue for the Bayside community. The 2021 Annual Community Satisfaction Survey identified parking as one of the three top issues, and over the last decade parking has been consistently nominated as an area of concern by Bayside residents.

Council does not currently have a Parking Strategy. As such, parking objectives and processes can be inconsistent and dependent on the context and issue. This impacts on parking operations, supply, enforcement, priorities, and the delivery of public infrastructure across the municipality.

Development of a Parking Strategy for Bayside will help to establish a coordinated, consistent, and transparent approach for the provision and management of car parking across the municipality both now and into the future.

The Strategy will ensure a strategic approach to guide the development of parking policies, initiatives, and/or changes to current Policy.

Sensitivities around potential solutions may include:

• Competing interests (for example residents being able to park near their homes, versus shoppers or commuters)
• Trade-offs between the use of open space and convenient parking
• Significant behaviour changes may be necessary

Parking management tools which can be used to address the potential solutions may consist of:

• Parking provision requirements
• Reallocation of parking supply
• Consideration of paid parking
• Space allocation policies
• Time restrictions

Bayside’s Integrated Transport Strategy 2018 – 2028 states

“Providing additional capacity through more road space and parking is not a sustainable solution to this dilemma as the increase in trips arising from a growing population and increasing vehicle ownership will continue to outpace road capacity.

Similarly, the provision of additional car parking will also be utilised by the growth in vehicle ownership, potentially leading to a repeat of the dilemma once again.”

The development of the Bayside Parking Strategy is an action of:

• Bayside Integrated Transport Strategy (ITS), Action 62: Develop a municipal wide Parking Strategy.
• Bayside’s Disability Action Plan, Action 4.3: Develop and Deliver Bayside’s Parking Strategy with a Review of Accessible Parking

The Parking Strategy will also align with Council’s existing plans and strategies, including:

• Bayside 2050 Community Vision
• Council Plan 2021-2025
• Integrated Transport Strategy 2018 – 2028
• Climate Emergency Action Plan 2020 - 2025
• Disability Action Plan 2021 – 2025

Please refer to Council’s Managing On-Street Car Parking Demand Policy.

Council acknowledges that cars are an essential form of transport for many members of our community.

While Council’s goal is to reduce the proportion of trips taken by car and increase trips by sustainable modes of transport (i.e., walking, riding, public transport, car share, etc.), we recognise that it will look different for everyone in the community.

Historically, our cities were designed to prioritise cars. Now, we need to provide equitable access to parking for those who need it most and help make walking, cycling and the use of public transport easier.

Parking is an asset that is managed both publicly and privately.

Council is responsible for local roads and associated public parking, paths and trails, walking and cycling infrastructure, and how parking affects these functions.

Parking provision rates associated with developments are defined by State Government planning scheme clause 52.06 – Car Parking. Council can propose amendments to the planning scheme to support new policy directions.

The list of current policies is available via this link. Policies related to parking are as below but not limited to the following:

• Foreshore Parking Permit Policy 2019
• Managing on Street Car Parking Demand Policy 2019
• Residential Parking Scheme Policy 2019

It is anticipated the draft Parking Strategy will cover:

• Bayside’s policies related to parking
• Management of parking for various competing demands
• Current and emerging transportation/infrastructure requirements
• Current and future parking requirements, and parking management including operations, enforcement, and monitoring

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