By Luke Voogt
City Hall’s refusal to introduce free weekday parking in central Geelong has enraged former mayor Darryn Lyons and traders.
“It beggars the belief what’s being done by these (administrators) under the control of the State Government,” Mr Lyons said.
“This is the problem when you have no businesspeople on council.”
Geelong’s three council administrators ruled out any move to free weekday parking this week, citing an independent study finding that the costs would outweigh the “potential benefits”.
The previous council initiated the free-parking investigation shortly before the Andrews Government sacked all 13 councillors, including Mr Lyons, last April,
Mr Lyons said the free weekend parking he introduced to central Geelong as mayor had “proven an incredible success for employers in the city”.
“The businesses are the lifeblood of this city. Most regional Victorian cities today have free parking and their CBDs are booming.”
Central Geelong businessman Bill Votsaris said City of Monash had revitalised trading conditions with free parking near Oakley Station.
“The activity and growth in that shopping strip has been amazing.”
Mr Votsaris described parking fees, which generated $14 million annually for the City, as “the single biggest inhibitor” of business in central Geelong.
“You can’t take $14m out of the economy and pretend it’s good for business.”
Mr Votsaris questioned a report to the administrators that denied free-parking would generate more activity in the city.
He vowed to hire his own consultants to investigate central Geelong parking.
City property owner Greg McDonald described the report as “b……t”.
“Give us three months of free parking and let’s ask businesses what they think,” he said.
“Keep the all-day parks with the meters but get them off the bloody streets.”
Mr McDonald said the City wanted to keep the meters only for “revenue to prop other areas of council”.
“You’re doing that at the expense of small businesses and mum-and-dad operators.”
Administrators chair Kathy Alexander said free city weekday parking would cost each ratepayer an average $134.
The existing model of parking improved the turnover to make central Geelong “more accessible for a greater number of motorists“, Dr Alexander said.
Free parking would encourage more use of cars, “counter to community expectations” emerging in consultations on a long-term plan for greater Geelong , she said.
“Community views arising from Our Future engagements indicate significant support for improving central city access by cycling, walking and public transport rather than encouraging car use.”
