Parking restriction fight fails

A CAR TRIES TO DRIVE BETWEEN PARKED VEHICLES IN PRINCES COURT, WERRIBEE. PHOTO: ALESHA CAPONE

Parking restrictions will be imposed in two residential streets near the Wyndham Civic Centre, despite a petition opposing the idea.

In November last year, Star Weekly reported that residents of Princes Court and Queens Court in Werribee had been angered by council workers’ parked cars blocking driveways and entry ways to the streets.

At the time, the council delivered letters to residents notifying them that due to the civic centre’s carpark reaching capacity, demand for parking in nearby streets had increased. To counter this, the council proposed introducing parking restrictions in both courts.

Karen Ryan, who regularly visits her elderly aunt in Princes Court, started a petition to stop parking restrictions being introduced.

Ms Ryan said while residents did not mind council workers parking in the streets, they did object to the entry ways being blocked, in case emergency service vehicles needed access.

At last week’s council meeting, the council responded to the petition, which had 39 signatures.

The council voted to introduce a staged approach to parking restrictions in Princes Court and Queens Court, with stage one to involve two-hour parking from 9am to 3pm on weekdays, on the east side of each court.

Stage two will involve the addition of “No standing 9am to 3pm Mon to Fri” parking restrictions on the west side of each court.

In addition, the existing “No Standing 11am to 5pm Mon to Fri” parking signs along the Princes Highway Service Road will be replaced with “2 Hour Parking 9am to 3pm Mon to Fri” signs.

The council will conduct a review of the restrictions, including input from residents, within three months of each installation.

Ms Ryan said most residents of Princes Court and Queens Court felt they would be “no better off” with the parking restrictions.

She said the council was “Band-aiding” the issue and that its employees would start parking in other residential streets.

“My argument is that the municipality is growing and will have more employees, so they need do so something about the [civic centre’s] carpark,” she said.