Parking at the Guilderton foreshore will soon only be free for ratepayers.
Camera IconParking at the Guilderton foreshore will soon only be free for ratepayers. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Visitors will have to pay to park at Guilderton foreshore

Lucy JarvisNorth Coast Times

VISITORS to Guilderton will have to pay to park at the foreshore after a community survey found introducing a paid parking system was the most popular option to address cost and congestion issues. However, ratepayers will get free parking passes.

At their July council meeting, Shire of Gingin councillors unanimously agreed to introduce paid parking at the Guilderton foreshore car park based on the survey results.

“We understand this move will not be popular with some sections of the community, however we sought community input on the matter via the survey and the results speak for themselves,” Shire President David Roe said.

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“As promised, we are providing all ratepayers free parking passes to the foreshore car park.”

In total, 171 respondents completed the June survey with 143 (84 per cent) from people living in the Shire of Gingin and 28 (16 per cent) from people living outside the Shire.

Of the 111 valid surveys submitted, 101 responses favoured the first option to introduce paid parking of $2 per hour or $10 a day for visitors.

Three responses supported the second option, to give free unlimited parking with an increase in rates, and six responses supported free unlimited parking with introduction of a specified area rate levy.

The fourth option of no change to the existing system of free, unlimited parking, found favour from 29 survey participants.

Last year the Shire proposed to introduce paid parking at the foreshore to help offset the cost of maintaining foreshore facilities and services during peak seasons, as well as manage parking congestion.

The introduction of paid parking aims to offset the cost of maintaining foreshore facilities and services during peak seasons, as well as manage parking congestion.

All Shire ratepayers will receive two free parking passes with their 2017-18 rate notices.

A start date has not yet been set, but the Shire expects to install parking machines before the peak holiday period leading up to Christmas.

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