Since the change in parking in the Bay I for one have found it much more difficult to park in town. The quick trip to the bank isn’t so quick any more and I find it easier to do it elsewhere in my travels.
I was told by the chamber of commerce that around 60 spaces were removed.
I look for a car space close to where I need to go and if I can’t find one I will circle around again, then widen my circling wider and wider until I find a spot. So I would guess many others do the same thing, which then gives a pretty clear idea why the town is in gridlock so often.
A short-term solution (assuming the parking front in to kerb continues) could be to halve the allowed time at all parking spots.
Take the one-hour down to half and so on. And have unrestricted time or four-hour time at a greater radius.
If I go to town to have a meal I may be there one to two hours. A short walk isn’t going to hurt me, but to come into town for a quick transaction and have to walk a distance… that sux.
David Levine, Byron Bay
I’m the opposite. I purposely drive to wherever I get free parking space and then walk back to my destination. That way I save money AND get much needed exercise. I’ve never understood nor sympathised with those people who will drive around and around waiting for someone to vacate a parking space. What a futile waste of time and petrol.
If the parking times are halved, consequently, a lot of people would be obliged to re-park more often – thus add to the grid-lock; and there would be more parking tickets issued to who are a little late getting back to their vehicle in order to re-park. Curbing, guttering and parking bays on Butler Street with free 4P parking would help ease the parking situation on Jonson Street – for a little while.