By Oliver Winn
The implementation of the Warburton Paid Parking Pilot has received criticism over its potential to discourage tourist spending in the area leaving residents concerned about its impact on the local economy.
But according to Yarra Ranges Tourism chief executive officer Simon O’Callaghan, the price of parking in Warburton is a “modest fee” and won’t impact tourist spending.
The Yarra Ranges Council’s Visitor Paid Parking Pilot would see visitors and tourists paying from up to $6 per hour for certain spots in Warburton in order to more fairly distribute the cost of maintaining infrastructure from ratepayers to tourists.
Warburton residents took to Facebook to raise concerns about the paid parking trial after the details were settled upon in a council meeting on 25 February.
“I feel this will impact local businesses that rely on tourists and day to day trades stopping for morning tea, coffee or lunch,” one user commented on a post in the Warburton/Millgrove noticeboard Facebook group.
Warburton Waterwheel coordinator Michele Osterhoudt said while the Warburton Waterwheel is neutral on the matter, the introduction of paid parking will undoubtedly affect every facet of the business.
“We’re a part of all the businesses who are affected by that, we have volunteers who are affected by that and the visitors who come to the town are affected by that so literally every aspect of our business is affected by paid parking,” Ms Osterhoudt said.
“We understand the reasons why they’re implementing it, but we’ll see, the proof will be in the pudding down the road as to whether it actually achieves what they’re hoping.”
Mr O’Callaghan said there was little evidence to suggest paid parking will impact tourism spending, especially since a large number of visitors are from inner city regions and already have to pay for parking.
Just before the prices for the paid parking trial was decided in February, the Mornington Peninsula Shire ended its own visitor paid parking trial due to community pushback surrounding its implementation.
As reported in the Mornington Peninsula News, Cr Bruce Ranken said visitors to Mornington were avoiding carparks where they had to pay, inadvertently affecting foot traffic and thus negatively impacting key businesses.
But in the Yarra Ranges council meeting it states that the council liaised with the Mornington Peninsula Shire to learn from the shire’s implementation, improving upon its downfalls by limiting paid parking to weekends and public holidays, simplifying permits and installing physical parking meters rather than solely relying on paying through an app.
Other residents are concerned about the transparency – or lack thereof – surrounding where the revenue of the paid parking pilot will go.
Warburton Valley CEDA president Anna Tehan said the group will continue to monitor feedback from its members during the pilot period.
“We would also be very interested in hearing from the council on the local projects that will benefit from the paid parking revenue,” Ms Tehan said.
As the number of tourists visiting the Yarra Ranges grows each year, the Yarra Ranges Tourism Destination Management Plan looks at the best ways to facilitate the impacts tourism has on the region.
Mr O’Callaghan said the plan accounts for a broad range of areas where infrastructure needs to be improved to accommodate the inevitable growth of tourism – not just parking.
“We need to find ways with the government on how that infrastructure is paid for, and I think it’s a good thing if collected parking fees from visitors go back into supporting local infrastructure,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
Unlike the Short Stay Levy, a 7.5 per cent tax on those who receive bookings for short stay accommodation in Victoria, the paid parking pilot allows funding to go straight to the council.
“The state government has implemented a 7.5 per cent short stay tax that’s going to reap tens of millions of dollars from tourists and local operators who are having to administer that tax, but unfortunately in that instance, the money’s not going back to local infrastructure.”
Another concern residents have over the trial is the Yarra Ranges Council’s limit on three parking permits per household, which means households with more than three cars may not be able to avoid paying fees.
“I have seven vehicles, I guess I have to play favourites about who goes into town,” one Facebook user said on the Warburton/Millgrove Noticeboard
