Blame game over ferry park squeeze

Kim Waters
A “chaotic” parking squeeze at Queenscliff’s ferry terminal has sparked a blame game over responsibility.
All-day parking around the terminal has been cut to three hours, with 15, 24-hour parks, remaining for ferry passengers and harbour users.
Residents accused Borough of Queenscliff of “a revenue raising council scheme”.
But Mayor Bob Merriman passed the blame to the private operator of Queenscliff’s harbour.
“Three-hour parking was imposed by the harbour,” Cr Merriman said.
“Council had nothing to do with it and we’ve received no applications to increase parking in the area.”
Queenscliff Harbour general manager Sean Blackwood said the company changed parking times because ferry users were “taking up” too much space.
“This is a privately owned car park and we had people leaving their cars there for up to three days,” Mr Blackwood said.
“Ferry customers can park in the ferry terminal but this car park is owned by Queenscliff Harbour and we were in a situation where harbour users had nowhere to park.
“I think the ferry owners have gone to council to see whether they can extend the car park.”
Peninsula SeaRoad operator John Mackeddie said he was in talks to find a solution.
“We’re working with both state and local government to reinstate the car parking that we’ve lost over the years,” Mr Mackeddie said.
Queenscliff Community Association president Joan Kenwood described the situation as “chaotic”.
“There have been so many complaints about parking in the area and they’ve steadily increased since the harbour was developed,” Ms Kenwood said.
She blamed the problem on a council waiver for parking requirements as part of the harbour redevelopment and privatisation.
“Developers should have to provide proper parking facilities but former councils waived that and now the present council seems to be doing the same thing.
“Feedback from the community is that everyone is really annoyed.”