Byron Shire Council – and no doubt many residents – are hoping their innovative park ’n’ ride scheme will end the annual carpark that Ewingsdale Road becomes at this time of year.
The bus will operate from Byron Regional Sport and Cultural Complex, Ewingsdale Rd, from Boxing Day (December 26) to January 12.
On New Years Eve only, it will also operate from Byron Bay High School, Bangalow Rd.
The park ’n’ ride bus will be free throughout the new year period except New Years Eve, when a one-off $30 fee will be charged.
The Magic Bus is the centrepiece of the council’s summer strategy for the new year period, which also includes one-off parking restrictions in town and free all-day earlybird parking in Butler Street.
A valid resident parking coupon or a yellow temporary Special Event Parking Permit will be required to exempt your vehicle from the two-hour special-event parking restrictions.
Byron mayor Simon Richardson is the first to admit not everything has rolled out entirely smoothly but, as he told Echonetdaily this morning, that’s the nature of a trial.
‘As a trial we’re already learning things now. There’s all sorts of little tiny things that we’ll learn from and do better. I’m walking the streets, trying to get to every business in Byron trying to make sure they all have coupons for their staff. But the overwhelming majority of people approve of what we’re doing and in the spirit of a trial we’ll no doubt learn things that we can do better next time.
Households and businesses should by now have received their two permits and are urged to contact Council at www.byron.nsw.gov.au if this is not the case or if they require more.
The Special Event Parking Area (SEPA) two-hour parking zones will stretch from Red Devil Park to Belongil and will be in force from December 26 to January 1 inclusive.
Mayor Simon Richardson said the purpose of SEPA was ‘to help prompt a change in behaviour’.
‘The amount of traffic coming into Byron Bay at the moment makes it harder for everyone. We were looking for a sustainable way forward, but whenever you have change, especially around car usage, you have trepidation.’
Echonetdaily will monitor the effectiveness of the changes and report back on them during the holiday period.
Good on the Mayor for having the gusto to at least trialling different ways to help Byron Bay.Dont forget the roadblocks used back in 1994 New Years Eve brought out cries of doom and gloom but it worked big time.Would be fantastic if the government RMS department would let Byron Shire implement it again.
Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to all the wonderful residents and tourists who live or come to our piece of paradise ,the Rainbow Region.
Many local residents who are ratepayers have not received the two car parking transfers that were meant to be delivered by last Friday to letter boxes. Another Council stuff up?
“Park and Ride” is now underway until Jan 6… and passengers are loving parking all day for $5, being entertained on our buses and scooting up the new bus express lane… whist giving peace signs out the window to those still stuck in traffic!!