Traffic parking in the Wollongong city centre has nearly doubled over the past year. Wollongong City Council has found that the meters used each week is reaching around 19,000 visits a week, up from 10,000 in March 2010.

Council’s Property and Recreation Manager Peter Coyte said the inner city is now seeing far more cars and hence visitors coming into town.

“We are now seeing a lot more people using Regent, Thomas, Market and Atchison Streets for short two hour stays in the city,” Mr Coyte said. “Council has also seen the increase in use of the 52 free parking 15 minutes spaces in the city.  These are all in high turnover areas such as near banks and the Wollongong library.”

The use of car parking spaces throughout the city have also grown with some metered parking spaces now being occupied between 50 and 90 per cent of the time available.

“We are also finding the long stay car parking areas on Burelli and Stewart Streets are also enjoying good occupancy rates.

“I think the benefits of the flexible parking options in and around the Wollongong CBD are beginning to help visitors to the city.”

“Prior to the introduction of metered parking, all day parking by city workers took up a large percentage of the on street spaces. These spaces are now available for the shoppers or casual visitors to the city centre.

“While we have seen a large growth in usage, there is still some availability of spaces at most times which is important to ensure the CBD is an accessible space to visit.”

Of the total number of car parking spaces in the city centre Council has 777 spaces available for paid parking while there are more than 11,000 public and private parking spaces in the CBD area.

A real positive from the Inner City Parking Strategy has been the reduction of infringements issued in “dangerous areas”. Prior to March 2008 there were more than 1300 fines issued for drivers using No Stopping space, 225 fines for drivers illegally using a Disabled Parking space and 383 fines for drivers using Loading Zones. These have dropped by 33, 47 and 37 per cent respectively in the past year.

“The new inner city parking is now enabling people to use parking spaces and the increase in available short term on-street parking is reducing the behaviour of drivers which otherwise would have received a fine,” Mr Coyte said.

“Also there are plenty of options for people who wish to visit the city centre for under 15 minutes, for a hour or two, or for a half day. Also there are plenty of options to park for free in areas just outside the city centre. You must also remember too that parking in the city centre is free after 4.30pm on weekdays and on Saturdays. So there is great flexibility and this is now showing in the rise in visitors to the city centre.”

For more information on the car parking available in Wollongong City centre, visit council’s website at www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au .