Want to visit Mollymook Beach as someone who doesn’t live locally? You might be hit with paid parking. Photo: Katrina Condie.
A coastal council has voted to “take a beat” before driving ahead with a plan to slug tourists for parking.
Earlier this year Shoalhaven City Council (SCC) voted to receive a report back with more information.
The idea was developed by a council finance committee.
If given the green light, the proposal would target sites around Mollymook Beach, Huskisson, Hyams Beach and Boongaree Park in Berry.
Councillor Jemma Tribe told a meeting that councillors didn’t have enough information to make a decision, and described the council’s own research as providing “not exactly a glowing reference” for the proposal.
“We don’t have it funded … I would like to test the community sentiment before we do look at that option.
“They might tell us it’s a resounding ‘No’, that they don’t want it in those suburbs.”
She called for the council to “take a beat” and push ahead with consultation, instead of the proposal before councillors to develop the idea further.
According to council documents, preparing a strategy and business case alone would cost about $150,000.
“The expenses associated with operating a paid parking scheme have not been estimated as part of this report because the variables in operational and capital expenditure are too undefined at this early stage,” the papers reveal.
It’s also estimated it would take 36 months for the scheme to be ready for implementation.
Council CEO Andrew Constance said future steps – including consultation – would come with cost.
He said a scheme would need to account for community needs across the Shoalhaven, citing tradies who travel around the region for work.
“One of the reasons we’ve recommended strongly to do a significant business case on this is to, obviously, get a full understanding of the best way to roll it out.”
During discussion, Councillor Denise Kemp failed to win support for a foreshadowed motion that would see a trial focused on Hyams Beach.
“Why can’t we use Hyams Beach as the prototype and see how it works and give it a go?
“If that works, we can roll it out over the city.”
She said key elements of the proposal were underdeveloped, pointing to the risk tourists would simply park elsewhere and how mobile data outages could affect the scheme’s operation.
“There’s also concerns here in Mollymook: how do you identify a non-resident when all people get their number plate recognition recorded.
“Until we identify a better idea around that, they’re not real keen on the breach of privacy aspect of that.”
The vote means SCC will push ahead with consultation before making a decision on the future of the proposal.
