Joondalup city centre.
Camera IconJoondalup city centre. Credit: Supplied/Martin Kennealey.

Joondalup city centre residents to be offered less parking permits

Tyler BrownJoondalup Times

THE City of Joondalup will reduce the number of parking permits it offers residents in the Joondalup city centre from next year.

Chief executive Garry Hunt said the changes were because the number of permits “far exceeded” the parking spaces available.

The City currently offers residents in the city centre a maximum of five free permits, which equates to 8130 permits for 1153 parking bays – a ratio of 7.1 permits per bay.

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Though only 4440 are currently issued – a take-up rate of 55 per cent – this is still a ratio of 3.9 permits per bay.

The changes follow the council’s review of the Parking Schemes Policy, which has been in place since 2008, at last night’s meeting.

From next year until 2022, residents in the city centre will be offered a maximum of three free permits, with the option to buy a fourth for $100.

At three per property, this will mean there are 4878 permits available at a ratio of 4.2 permits per bay.

From 2023 to 2027, the permits offered will be further reduced to a maximum of two free with the option to buy a third, and from 2028, it will just be the two for free.

Another change will see the two different types of permits – residential and visitor– replaced with a single annual parking permit from next year.

However, property managers and trades people will retain the ability to buy one permit per area, per year.

“The current number of five free permits available to city centre residents does not offer any encouragement for them to make optimum use of the parking they have available on their own property.”

He said there were also issue with drivers with valid permits unable to find legal parking and consequently parking illegally, “causing hazards and complaints”.

“Tighter restrictions on the number of permits available would assist with dealing with all of these issues, while requiring residents to purchase additional permits would ensure they only take up permits they will need for their own parking,” he said.

The council also reviewed the parking permit arrangements in the Warwick, Duncraig and Woodvale areas and found no changes were needed.

Residents could still get up to five permits

Joondalup Mayor Albert Jacob hoped to still offer city centre residents up to five parking permits but at a cost.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, he moved an alternative motion that would charge residents $20 per permit, with discounts for seniors and pensioners.

He said this was “market reflective” and would cater for properties that required more permits such as share houses, student accommodation and families with adult children.

Cr Tom McLean said charging residents was “not a new concept” with the City of Fremantle charging $37 and the Town of Victoria Park $25, both with a maximum of two.

He said the current system saw people sell their permits to commuters and residents using their garages for storage or home gyms instead of parking.

However, Cr Kerry Hollywood said these issues would remain even if charging a fee.

She said issuing five permits per house when not enough parking bays was “ridiculous” and did not make sense when trying to resolve the shortfall.

The alternative motion was lost 6-7.