MAY 4, 2016 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
By Benjamin Millar Parking meters in central Footscray and Yarraville are likely to remain switched off until after the October local government election. Maribyrnong council’s long-running paid parking saga last week took a new turn when councillors rejected a parking policy aimed at guiding future parking needs across Maribyrnong. A suspension of paid parking, in place since last December, is estimated to be stripping more than $200,000 a month from council coffers. Losses could top $2 million by the election. A Destination Parking Management Policy, released for feedback in March, was voted down at last Tuesday night’s city development special committee meeting. The policy recommends preparing “local activity centre reports” for each key location across Maribyrnong and identifies “triggers” for reviews of parking controls. The vote was tied three-all before committee chairman Cr Nam Quach used his casting vote to reject the policy, which was developed after parking meters were switched off in central Footscray and Yarraville village in the face of a widespread public backlash. Under normal council practice it would take at least three months for a redrawn policy to be put before the councillors. If that was to happen with the parking policy it would leave only a matter of weeks before the election. Even if adopted, any policy would require further reports on specific locations being considered for paid parking. Mayor Cameron McDonald and Labor councillors Martin Zakharov and Michael Clarke spoke in support of
the policy, but independent councillors Quach, Grant Miles and Catherine Cumming criticised it as being vague and lacking in detail. Labor councillor Sarah Carter was absent. Public feedback on the draft policy was overwhelmingly negative, much of the criticism suggesting the policy was “meaningless” and lacking in rigour. Cr Quach said he agreed and couldn’t support the “underbaked” and “stunningly vague” policy in its current form. Cr McDonald argued in favour of adopting the policy as a way of increasing car-based turnover. Cr Zakharov said the policy was a way of coming to the end of the trouble caused by last year’s implementation of parking meters in Yarraville. Cr Cumming, who in March voted for the draft policy to be sent out for feedback, said more talks were needed with neighbouring councils to find out what did and didn’t work for them. Cr Grant Miles said he couldn’t support a policy that failed to reflect the changes he had sought in March. Cr Clarke said the call for greater detail in the policy failed to recognise its role. “The whole idea of the policy is to give us a framework; it’s not supposed to be an operational plan.” Footscray Asian Business Association president Wing La said businesses had reported a rise in the number of parking fines being issued as the council aimed to stem parking meter losses. Maribyrnong council chief executive Stephen Wall said the council continued to enforce parking restrictions and enforcement had “marginally increased”. Mr Wall said the meters would not be switched back on until a policy was adopted.
(Damjan Janevski)
Meters off until election
Fallen warrior up and running Williamstown Lance Bombardier Brendan Dover will never go down without a fight. After losing part of his left leg in a bomb blast in Afghanistan, he has recently placed third in the para-skeleton world championships and will represent Australia in the 400 metres at this month’s Invictus Games for wounded warriors in Florida. ■ Full story: Page 15
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