The Launceston business community has welcomed a move by the mayor to conduct a review into the city’s parking services, which would inform a decision on free 60 to 90 minute periods in multi-deck car parks.
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In a notice of motion on the agenda for Thursday’s council meeting, Alderman van Zetten wrote it was timely for the council to undertake the “thorough” review and acknowledged a view within the business community – “real or otherwise” – that the introduction of an expanded free parking scheme would bring additional visitors and foot traffic.
This would be the fifth time a change to free parking in the city has been considered by council since 2011.
Cityprom executive officer Steve Henty and Launceston Chamber of Commerce executive officer Neil Grose both welcomed the “evidence-based” review to determine how a free parking period could increase the number of shoppers in the CBD.
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“Other cities offer free parking at the beginning of a parking period which appears to be successful, such as in Hobart, and it is appropriate to further investigate this in Launceston,” Mr Grose said.
“Given the level of technology available to council, it should be able to measure any changes in parking behaviour, length of stay in the multi-decks and the time of day that any change occurs in.”
Mr Grose added that the review should also drawn on predictions for population growth, demographic shifts and other long-term factors.
Given the differing views of over 650 members, Mr Henty noted Cityprom didn’t “have a view either way” on an expanded parking scheme but welcomed the idea of a review.
“This for us is a good approach to the matter. It is asking for an evidence-based approach and that is what it should always be,” he said.
Mr Henty was confident any review conducted would be “broad-ranging” and thought further investigation into credit card or app-based payments, along with tools to identify free spaces in the parking network, would also be beneficial – ideas that do have wide support among Cityprom’s members.
“So if you go to Paterson East and it’s full, you can see that ‘oh well, Elizabeth Street has some spare parks’,” he added.
Writing in the notice of motion, Alderman van Zetten said such a review should provide the council and the community with a robust evidence base to make a decision on the “important” matter.
“It is hoped that such a review would be able to be completed within the next 3 months,” he continued.
At present council provides free parking between 3.30-5.30pm Monday to Sunday and Monday to Saturday in its central Paterson and Elizabeth Street car parks.
Free parking is also provided in the Seaport and York Street West car parks on Sundays and all weekend in the Willis Street car park, along with the High Street off-street parking area.
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