NEWS OF PAID PARKING PILOT and the FCA
In May, Council surprised residents with a plan to implement a Visitor Paid Parking Pilot at Flinders and two other sites on Port Philip Bay. Five FCA committee members attended the council meeting on 30thMay where all but two councillors voted to introduce the Visitor Paid Parking Pilot. (Councillors David Gill and Antonella Celli voted against the pilot). Over 98 public questions were summarised by the CEO. The FCA had requested a deferment to the motion, but unfortunately this did not happen.
The FCA believes the Visitor Paid Parking Pilot at Flinders has not been properly thought through by Council. Moreover, Council needs to release the consultant’s report that originally questioned the viability of the Pilot and Council’s subsequent business case that recommended the new policy, specifically that at the Flinders Foreshore. The FCA believes there has been no risk assessment or cost benefit analysis undertaken to justify the overall cost of the Pilot.
Since then, FCA has:
- Had a meeting on 13th June with senior Council officers and submitted to them a four page list of questions including our opinion that the Pilot is totally unsuited to the Flinders foreshore.
- Followed up with many additional questions by email.
- Submitted further questions on the MPSC Shape Portal (along with many other community members).
- Lodged a Freedom of Information application with the MPSC for all consultants’ reports and the financial modelling that supposedly underpinned the proposal, specifically for Flinders.
- Had various conversations with Council as to timing of anticipated answers, etc.
- Heard from our Mayor that he has support of the pilot: we have asked for evidence of this support as to date we have seen none.
We have NOT had adequate answers to many of our emails to our Flinders specific questions apart from a generic email that was sent to everyone who submitted a public question to the Council meeting on 30th May.
In summary the FCA believes the proposed parking fees and subsequent implementation would:
- Impact local aquaculture businesses that operate from the Flinders Pier.
- Have a significant impact on our local economy, which is still struggling in the aftermath from Covid.
- Discriminate against older people who don’t use Apps, who will be charged $6.20 per hour using camera technology and a mobile phone.
- Discourage low-income families from visiting the area and who would not visit Flinders and head to the other side of the Peninsula where beach parking remains free.
- Will push young families to park further away from the Flinders foreshore, exacerbating an already dangerous situation of mixing children and prams with cars towing boats along the narrow road with a hairpin bend and no safe pedestrian pathway that leads up to the Monument from the pier car park.
- Cause dangerous vehicular chaos as there is no sufficient turning circle for cars with boats on trailers.
- Impact on volunteers who manage the Historic Cable Station Museum. They may not be residents and therefore will not have free parking permits.
- Have a significant impact on the various school groups that come to the pier for educational purposes and will not have free parking permits.
- Impact seriously on the environmental works done by the local and international dive groups who record marine life and clean up rubbish on and under the pier.
- Impact on public events which encourage tourism and community interaction. IE Flinders Fringe Festival, Peninsula Piers & Pinots, The Big Flinders Beach Clean Up etc
- Understand residents will be supplied with five permits per household but STILL must abide by the time restrictions that may be in place.
Council has said that it will consult DURING the Pilot but that doesn’t explain why the community wasn’t consulted BEFORE the decision was taken and why it is taking so long to answer questions submitted by FCA and others (Email and on the MPSC Shape Portal) BEFORE the pilot is implemented.
We are urging the Council to reconsider its decision and cancel the pilot at Flinders.
See link for info from the Council https://shape.mornpen.vic.gov.au/visitor-paid-parking-pilot
You may be interested in other press just click on the links below:
https://insidelocalgovernment.com.au/mornington-peninsula-considers-foreshore-paid-parking-pilot/
https://www.mpnews.com.au/2023/07/13/call-to-ditch-paid-parking-at-flinders-pier/
https://www.abc.net.au/melbourne/programs/melbourne-friday-breakfast/mornington-council-considers-implementing-paid-parking-at-beache/102395980
https://australianseniorsnews.com.au/news/council-to-vote-on-mornington-foreshore-paid-parking-pilot/
Note the date of this Press:
https://www.3aw.com.au/council-considers-scrapping-free-parking-at-popular-beaches/
https://www.mpnews.com.au/2022/08/22/paid-parking-likely-but-not-for-residents/
Photo: Charles Reis
