A CARPARK built at Yanchep Lagoon has not alleviated parking issues at the popular beach.
The City of Wanneroo opened the northern portion of the Yanchep Surf Life Saving Club carpark in mid-December, providing 66 bays; a similar number to what was available in the previous informal parking area.
Two Rocks Yanchep Residents Association president Peter Wimsett, who lives nearby, said there were not enough bays available to beach visitors.
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“It has made very little difference,” he said. “On a good day, you have to get there before 8am if you want to get a park.”
The association wrote to the City last October asking it to waive parking fines in the area until parking upgrades were completed, but this was rejected for safety reasons.
Yanchep resident Alison Burfitt took photos between Christmas and New Year, showing many cars parked along the verge and roadside.
“People were parked all over the street, wherever they could park really, and all over the footpath,” she said.
The City’s assets director, Harminder Singh, said an additional 63 parking bays would be available following completion of the club’s new building, which is not expected to be until at least September.
“The combination of other off-street carparks and on-street parking will then provide more than 200 bays in the Yanchep Lagoon beach area,” he said.
But Mrs Burfitt did not believe the increased parking would be sufficient.
“It’s busy all the time,” she said. “People come from all around.
“The people who live in Yanchep avoid going to the lagoon unless they have little babies.”
She believed more parking was needed in the area, as well as barbecue facilities and parks, calling the current situation “embarrassing”.
“We just need some more facilities, we need like what Mullaloo has,” she said.
“We need more parks and parking for the lagoon.”