Local NSW Greens MP Tamara Smith has questioned Greens mayor Simon Richardson and his supportive councillors’ decision for paid parking in Bangalow.
At a rally held Saturday morning, the Chamber of Commerce said ignored studies and flawed surveys led to councillors’ decision to roll out paid parking.
Ms Smith told the rally via a letter, ‘I am sorry that you have had to take to the streets in order to have your voice heard… Well done for coming out to have your say and I am sorry that I can’t be there with you.
‘I am urging Byron Shire Council to do a parking study for Bangalow, per the RMS requirements, which have nothing to do with revenue raising. In fact, revenue raising is not recognised by the NSW government as a valid reason for introducing paid parking.
‘There are too many unknowns at this stage, the true impact of introducing paid parking in Bangalow is not clear, and the case to introduce it in the terms set down by RMS has not been made.
‘The precautionary principle seems very appropriate at this time – if we are not sure of the impact, then let’s not impact.’
Exertion of will
Meanwhile, the town’s chamber president Jo Millar told the gathering, ‘This whole process is a classic example of the exertion of political will over the proper processes that we have a right to expect from our Council staff and our elected representatives.’
In reply, Infrastructure Services director Phil Holloway told The Echo, ‘Council’s rationale for pay parking has always been, first and foremost, that it serves to improve parking turnover and access to local businesses.’
‘Pay Parking schemes are a combination of time limits and the application of a charge to park and are aimed at improving access to available parking.
‘Pay parking is a means of imposing a level of self-enforcement by changing driver behaviour to increase the availability of spaces to meet parking demands in the area.’
How is pay parking going to improve vehicle turnover Mr Holloway ?
If people need to come to Bangalow , or shop in Bangalow , they still will ,
the only scenario where pay parking will contribute to more parking spaces is because
people go to shop in Ballina instead .
Improved parking space availability can be achieved at no cost to the locals by simply enforcing
the existing time limits , but that wouldn’t yield more income to Council , except possibly due to increased parking infringement detection .
Also , the proposed introduction of pay parking has actually seen a reduction in the number of available spaces , due to rezoning of some spaces and the elimination of others .
The heritage like streetscape , which is what brings many to Bangalow in the 1st place ,
will be turned into an ugly , Pitt St like , appearance .
It is disgraceful that the Council wants to introduce parking meters in Bangalow. This is none other than a revenue raising stunt by a mis-managed Council. Why destroy the ambience of a heritage village by sheer monetary greed?
I drove down the main street of Bangalow on 12th December and couldn’t find a single parking bay where my vehicle would actually fit. I wanted to stop for a moment to buy a pie for lunch, so had to wait until I got to Lismore.
It is quite apparent that in order to gain the maximum revenue from parking, the Council staff have marked extremely small bays to maximise the number of meters which can be installed.
Fight on! The residents don’t want the meters, the business people don’t want them, and the visitors and shoppers don’t either! Mayor Simon Richardson has been in the job too long and should be booted if he can’t see that he is provoking community outrage.
I as a resident of Bangalow hope that the Councillors see sense and leave our beautiful little village alone.
I moved here 10 years ago because of the quaintness of this village.