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Sydney Residents Avoid New Driveway Parking Charges
26 Mar
Summary
- Council proposed $300 fee for residents using their own driveways.
- Mayor's strong opposition led to the controversial proposal's defeat.
- Parking scarcity in eastern suburbs fueled the debated policy.
A controversial proposal by Waverley Council to charge residents $300 for using their own driveways has been abandoned following significant opposition. The draft strategy, debated this week, suggested fees for new and existing driveways to address the reduction of public street parking. This issue stems from up to 100 new driveways being built annually in the electorate.
Mayor Will Nemesh voiced strong opposition, stating the idea should not have been considered and was removed from council discussion. He aims for fair and sustainable parking solutions. The driveway tax was one of five proposals in the council's first parking framework review since 2017, intended for community consultation.
The rationale behind the proposed fee was to acknowledge the consumption of on-street spaces by driveways. Waverley, as the second-densest local government area in the state, faces considerable parking challenges for residents and visitors. Additionally, larger vehicles have reduced available parking spaces by approximately six percent over the past decade.
